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THE 
CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


The  Churchman's 
Ready  Reference 


By  the 

Rev.  Alexander  C.  Haverstick 


With  Introduction  by  the 

Rt.  Rev.  Leighton  Coleman,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Bishop  of  Delaware 


New  and  revised  edition 


Milwaukee : 
THE  YOUNG  CHURCHMAN  CO. 

1915 


Copyright  by 

THE  YOUNG  CHURCHMAN  CO. 

1900. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 

Evidences  of  Religion ^ 

The  Religious  Faculty— God  the  First  Great 
Cause — Attributes  of  God— God  is  Good— Life  is 
a  Probation— Of  a  Revelation— Christian  Revela- 
tion the  Best— Of  the  Truths  of  Christianity- 
Christ's  Influence— Miracles— The  Resurrection 
of  Christ — Prophecies— Diffusion  of  Christian- 
ity—Christianity and  Science— Geology— Evolu- 
tion—Does  God  Answer  Prayer?— Difficulties. 

CHAPTER  II 

The  Bible ^^ 

Authenticity  of  the  Bible— Manuscripts— The 
Old  Testament— Preservation  of  the  Bible — 
Agreement  of  the  Parts  of  the  Bible— Bible  and 
History  —  Internal  Evidence  —Apocrypha  —An- 
cient Versions  — The  English  Bible  —  Chapters 
and  Verses — Using  the  Bible. 

CHAPTER  III 

The  Story  of  the  Bible 30 

The  Creation— Our  First  Parents— The  Tempta- 
tion—Cain and  Abel— The  Antediluvian  Church 
— The  Flood— Babel— Abraham— Isaac — Jacob 
and  Esau— Joseph— The  Famine— Moses— The 
Bondage— The  Burning  Bush— The  Plagues— 
The  Deliverance— The  Wilderness— The  Law— 
The      Ritual— Rebellions— The      Conquest— The 


vi  THE  CHURC'HMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Kingdom — The  Captivity  of  the  Jews  before 
Christ — Preparation  for  the  Gospel — The 
Romans— The  Nativity— The  Magi— The  Child- 
hood— Christ's  Preparation — His  Ministry — Op- 
position— Holy  Week — The  Resurrection — The 
Apostles — St.   Paul — Chronological   Table. 

CHAPTER  IV 
The  Theology  of  the  Bible 57 

Sources — Reason — Tradition — Use  of  Tradition 
—Of  God— The  Trinity— Incarnation— The  The- 
ological Christ — Redemption  or  Atonement — 
Communion  with  God. 

CHAPTER  V 
What  Is  the  Church  ? 67 

Object — Christ's  Kingdom — Household  of  Saints 
—Christ's  Mystical  Body— The  Church  Build- 
ing— Characteristics — One  —  Holy  —  Catholic  — 
Apostolic — Types — The  Ark — Hebrew  Origin — 
Difl'erences  in  the  Churches — Being  Good  Out  of 
the  Church — Originally  Only  One — The  Branch 
Theory — Advantages  of  Unity — Foolishness  of 
Divisions — Rome  Not  the  Church  for  America — 
No  Protestant  Body — The  Episcopal  Church. 

CHAPTER  VI 

A  History  of  the  Church 84 

Early  Progress — Age  of  Persecution — Early  Mar- 
tyrs— Constantine — Arianism — The  Council  of 
Nice — Council  of  Constantinople — List  of  Gen- 
eral Councils — Other  Councils — Apostolic  Mis- 
sionaries— The  Eastern  Church — Rise  of  the 
Papacj^ — All  Bishops  Equal — The  Roman  Patri- 
arch— False  Documents — Rome  a  Political  Cen- 
tre— The  Crusades — The  Monastic  Life — St.  Ben- 
edict— The  Monasteries  and  the  Reformation — 
Causes  of  the  Reformation — Papacy  Loses  Pres- 
tige— Popes      at      Avignon — The      Awakening — 


CONTENTS  vii 

Degradation  of  the  Church — Reformation  on  the 
Continent— Mistakes  of  Luther— Reformation  in 
Switzerland— Reformation  in  Other  Countries- 
Chronological  Table. 

CHAPTER  VII 

History  of  the  Church  of  England 1 1 1 

Origin  of  British  Christianity— Its  Growth- 
Arrival  of  the  Saxons — Gregory  and  the  Slaves — 
The  Coming  of  Augustine — Augustine  and  the 
British  Bishops — Blending  of  the  Missions — 
The  First  Appeal  to  Rome— Growth  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  Church— Alfred  and  Bede— The  Norman 
Conquest— Thomas  a  Becket— The  Magna  Charta 
—Further  Opposition  to  Rome— Wicliflfe— Henry 
VIII.  and  His  Divorce— Steps  in  the  Reforma- 
tion—Doctrinal Reformation— Contest  with  the 
Puritans— The  Seven  Bishops— The  Eighteenth 
Century— The  Wesleys— The  Oxford  Movement— 
The  Expansion  of  the  Church— A  Chronological 
Table. 

CHAPTER  VIII 

History  of  the  Church  in  America 136 

Discovery  of  America— First  English  Service— 
Virginia— The  Puritans— Maryland— New  York 
—Pennsylvania  and  Delaware— Need  of  the  Epis- 
copate—The Revolution— Securing  the  Episco- 
pate—Missionary Enterprise— Church  Parties— 
The  Civil  War— To  the  Close  of  the  Century- 
Growth  of  the  Church—Chronological  Table. 

CHAPTER  IX 

Public  Worship ^^^ 

Worship  Sacrificial— Worship  of  Heaven— Pat- 
tern of  Christian  Worship— Offering  of  Christ— 
The  Church's  Oblation— God  the  Object  of  Wor- 
ship—Layman's Part  in  Worship— Ritual  of 
Worship. 


viii       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

CHAPTER  X 

The  Prayer  Book — The  Book  of  Worship  -  -  -  -  158 
Disadvantages  of  Extemporaneous  Prayer — Ad- 
vantages of  Forms  of  Prayer — Objections  An- 
swered— Bible  Reasons  for  Forms  of  Prayer — 
Antiquity  of  Forms — The  Language  of  the  Prayer 
Book — The  Reformation — Changes  Gradual — 
The  Daily  Offices — The  Various  Provisions — 
The  Litany — Comparative  View  of  the  Commun- 
ion Services — The  Commandments — The  Kyrie — 
Epistles  and  Gospels — The  Canon — Gloria  in 
Excelsis — Scriptural  Character  of  the  Prayer 
Book — The  Prayer  Book  and  Individual  Life — 
Chronological  Table  of  the  Prayer  Book. 

CHAPTER  XI 
Holy  Orders — The  Ministry  of  Worship  -  -  -  -  180 
The  Apostolic  Office — No  Parity  of  the  Whole 
Ministry — Church  Government — James,  Bishop 
of  Jerusalem — Episcopacy  Universal — The  Apos- 
tolic Succession — Objections  Unreasonable — The 
Sin  of  Korah — The  Episcopate  and  Unity— The 
Threefold  Ministry — Objections  to  the  Priest- 
hood— Succession  of  the  American  Episcopal 
Church — Diocesan  Episcopacy — Metropolitans — 
The  Bishop —  Priests —  Deacons —  Ordination  — 
Vestments. 

CHAPTER  XII 
The  Forms  of  Spiritual  Life 196 

Spiritual  Birth — Spiritual  Food — Spiritual  Med- 
icine— Spiritual  Asylum — Spiritual  Growth — 
Spiritual  Death — Natural  Death — The  Sacra- 
ments. 

CHAPTER  XIII 

Baptism 203 

Names  of  Baptism — The  Command — The  Flood — 
Passage   of  the  Red  Sea — Other  Types— Effects 


CONTENTS  ix 

of  Baptism — Subjects  of  Baptism — Objections 
to  Infant  Baptism — Modes  of  Baptism — The 
Baptismal  Service — Sponsors. 

CHAPTER  XIV 

CONFIBMATION 211 

Names — Under  the  Law — Scriptural  Authority — 
Minister  of  Confirmation — Requisites  for  Con- 
firmation— The  Service — Gifts  of  Confirmation — 
Table  of  Matins — The  Psalms — The  Canticles — 
Fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

CHAPTER  XV 
The  Holy  Euchaeist 216 

Names — The  Command — Types — What  is  the 
Communion — ^^Christ's  Sacramental  Presence — 
Early  Teachers — The  Eucharistic  Sacrifice — The 
Eucharistie  Feast — Neglect  of  the  Holy  Com- 
munion— Preparation  for  the  Communion — The 
Invitation  to  Commune. 

CHAPTER  XVI 
Absolution 227 

Sin — Repentance — Auricular  Confession — Sacra- 
mental Absolution — Absolution  in  Scripture — 
Absolution  in  the  Prayer  Book — Objections 
Answered — Church  Discipline — x\buses. 

CHAPTER  XVII 
Matrimony 236 

Impediments — Marriage  Sacramental — The  Mar- 
riage Service. 

CHAPTER  XVIII 
Anointing  the  Sick 244 

Names  —  Scriptural  Authority  —  Sacramental 
Character. 


X  THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

CHAPTER  XIX 

The  Church  Year 247 

Scriptural  Authority — Antiquity — The  Calendar 
— The  Church  Seasons — Movable  Feasts — The 
Sundays — Festivals  of  Our  Lord — Days  of  the 
Vii-gin— Saints'  Days— Black  Letter  Days— Fasts. 

CHAPTER  XX 

Christian  Art  and  Symbolism 265 

Art  in  the  Church — Symbolism — Symbols — The 
Cross — Colors  —  Music  —  Antiphonal  Singing  — 
Musical  Instruments — Bells. 

CHAPTER  XXI 
The  Church  Building  and  Its  Architecture  -     -     -     255 
The  Form— The  Interior— The  Symbolism— Ori- 
entation— The  Litany  Desk. 


280 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Pious  Usages 

Kneeling— Standing— Bowing— The  Sign  of  the 
Cross— The  Mixed  Chalice— Flowers— Lights- 
Incense. 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
The    Catechism,    or    Things    Which    a    Christian 
Ought  to  Know  and  Believe 288 

Divisions  of  the  Catechism— The  Creed— Neces- 
sity for  a  Creed— Subjects  of  the  Creed— Origin 
of  the  Creed— Recitation  of  the  Creed— The 
Athanasian  Creed— Church  Year  and  the  Creed- 
Creed  Paraphrased — The  Lords  Prayer— Objec- 
tions to  Prayer— Parts  of  Prayer— Lord's  Prayer 
Expanded  —  The  Ten  Commandments  —  What 
Each  Commandment  Teaches— The  Seven  Deadly 
Sins. 


CONTENTS  xi 

CHAPTER  XXIV 

Death  and  After 307 

Death — The  Resurrection — The  Judgment — Con- 
dition of  the  Dead — Prayers  for  the  Dead — Pur- 
gatory— Invocation  of  Saints — Hell — Heaven. 

CHAPTER  XXV 

Some  Theological  Terms  and  Controversies    -     -     -     316 
Pelagianism — Calvinism — Arminianism — Predes- 
tination— Free   Will — Regeneration   and   Conver- 
sion —  Justification    and    Sanctification  —  Faith 
and  Works — Perseverance  of  the  Saints. 

CHAPTER  XXVI 

The  Divisions  of  Christendom 323 

Earliest  Heresies — Roman  Catholics — Protest- 
antism— Table  of  Some  of  the  Religious  Soci- 
eties. 

CHAPTER  XXVII 

Some  Modern  Surstitutes  for  Christianity    -     -     -     330 
Spiritualism — Christian    Science — Agnosticism — 
Theosophy. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

The  Church  Fathers  and  W^riters 333 

The  Sub-Apostolic  Fathers — Ante-Nicene  Fathers 
— Post-Nicene  Fathers — The  English  Fathers. 


THE 
CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

THE  author  of  the  following  treatise  has  asked 
me  to  write  an  introduction,  which  I  am  the 
more  ready  to  do  because  of  having  had  oppor- 
tunity of  examining  it  quite  thoroughly. 

A  glance  at  the  Table  of  Contents  will  show 
what  a  wide  range  of  topics  is  covered,  yet  all  these 
topics  are  very  interesting,  and  many  of  them  are 
of  the  very  first  importance. 

The  manner  of  treatment  and  the  style  of  com- 
position will,  I  think,  insure  the  attention  of  the 
reader  throughout,  and  the  earnest  Churchman 
will  find  here,  in  concise  form,  what  it  would  take 
him  a  long  time  to  find  elsewhere. 

While  the  honest  effort  to  be  impartial  and  fair 
is  evident,  there  is  no  ambiguity  nor  cowardice  as 
to  what  the  author  believes  to  be  the  truth,  both 
in  doctrine  and  in  history.  In  the  main,  I  judge 
that  his  statements  and  opinions  will  be  generally 
recognized  as  those  which  all  Catholic-minded 
readers  can  readily  and  safely  accept.  And  in 
instances  where  they  may  not  altogether  agree  with 
him  his  views  will,  I  think,  be  found  to  be  quite 


xiv       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENX'E 

compatible  with  the  proper  latitude  allowed  by  the 
Church,  as  to  things  not  essential. 

Much  of  the  dissent  and  confusion  of  the  spir- 
itual world  to-day  may  be  attributed  to  ignorance 
and  consequent  prejudice.  Any  attempt,  there- 
fore, to  dispel  this  ignorance,  and  to  furnish  reli- 
able information  concerning  the  tenets  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  the  history  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
ought  to  be  gladly  and  even  thankfully  received. 

The  work  before  us  is  an  earnest  and  reliable 
effort  in  that  direction,  and  is  thus  entitled  to  a 
hearty  God-speed  from  all  that  desire  the  consum- 
mation of  the  Divine  will,  as  to  the  unity  and  sal- 
vation of  the  children  of  men. 

(Signed)     Leighton  Colemax. 

Bishopstead,  Wilmington,  Delaware. 


CHAPTER  I 

EVIDENCES   OF    CHRISTIANITY 
The   Religious  Faculty 

THE  natural  Yearnings  of  man,  either  for  inter- 
communion with  a  Being  external  and  su- 
perior to  himself,  or  for  temporal  benefit,  have 
found  expression  in  many  ways.  Fetichism,  poly- 
theism, superstition,  or  true  spiritual  culture,  have 
grown  out  of  this  faculty  of  the  mind.  It  has  only 
been  the  fool  who  ''has  said  in  his  heart  there  is 
no  God"  (Ps.  xiv).  True,  ^'Xo  man  hath  seen 
God  at  any  time"  (John  i.  18),  yet,  ''the  heavens 
declare  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  firmament  show- 
eth  His  handiwork"  (Ps.  xix.  1).  The  old  illus- 
tration of  Paley's  Natural  Religion  is  apt.  A 
man  finds  a  watch  in  a  field ;  he  knows  it  Avas  not 
made  by  chance,  that  only  a  designer  with  a  de- 
sign could  construct  all  its  parts  to  keep  correct 
time.  In  the  same  way  the  constant  and  regular 
motion  of  the  sun  and  its  planets  through  the 
heavens,  the  immensity  of  their  orbits,  the  appear- 
ances of  comets,  the  distances  to  the  far-off  celestial 
bodies   bevond   which   infinite   space   extends,    are 


2  THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

proofs  of  the  Great  Designer  of  the  universe.  ^N'or 
is  this  evidence  of  design  lessened  by  reason  of  the 
long  ages  that  have  been  used  in  producing  the 
things  that  we  see  upon  the  earth — even  ourselves. 
God  Avorked  as  it  pleased  Him,  and  the  study  of 
how  He  created  the  world  and  all  that  is  in  it  grows 
in  entrancing  interest  as  we  learn  more  and  more 
of  the  many  stages  in  creation. 

God  the  First  Cause 

On  earth  we  have  the  marvellous  relations  be- 
tween animal  and  vegetable  life,  the  adaptation  of 
all  their  parts  to  exist,  the  gradations  and  multi- 
tude of  forms,  and,  lastly,  man  with  his  gigantic 
intellect.  Xone  of  these  came  by  chance.  The 
same  simple  yet  complex  laws  of  nature,  as  gravity 
or  chemical  action,  alike  affect  the  most  distant 
planet,  or  the  smallest  microscopical  insect.  All 
science  teaches  a  ''First  Great  Cause,"  to  inaugur- 
ate law  and  create  matter. 

Attributes  of  God 

When  we  consider  the  unity  of  the  universe, 
the  harmony  of  all  the  parts,  the  power  to  perform 
and  to  contrive,  we  attribute  to  the  great  Creator 
omniscience,  omnipresence  and  infinite  spiritual- 
ity, including,  of  course,  eternity  and  self-exist- 
ence. He  is  the  One  and  the  great  I  AM  (Ex.  iii. 
14).     To  obtain  communion  with  Him  is  religion. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIAXITY  3 

God  Is  Good 

Again,  considering  the  pleasure  which  all  ani- 
mals, especially  man,  find  in  life,  we  likewise  at- 
tribute to  the  Deity  infinite  goodness.     There  may 
be   some   apparent   contradiction  to  this   thought. 
Earthquakes  imply  discord,  but  as  they  are  pro- 
duced by  the  same  forces  of  nature  which  were 
essential  to  form  mountains   and  valleys,   give  a 
pleasing  variety  to  the  earth's  surface,  cause  the 
changes  of  clim^ate,  and  thus  make  the  globe  inhab- 
itable, the  discord  is  only  apparent.     Fire  is  use- 
ful, though  it  occasionally  consumes  houses.     Riv- 
ers'fertilize  valleys  and  sometimes,  by  overflowing 
their  banks,  cause  destruction.     Winds  purify  the 
atmosphere,  and  cause  tornadoes.     Gravity  holds 
the  various  bodies  of  the  universe  in  harmony  and 
causes  a  boy  to  fall  from  a  tree.     Pain  is  a  neces- 
sity to  man.     It  locates  natural  disorders.     These 
forces  are  sometimes  attended  with  evil,  and  yet 
from  chaos  formed  the  nebulous,  obnoxious,  gas- 
eous condition  of  the  primitive  globe  into  the  beau- 
tiful earth. 

Life  Is  a  Probation 

One  consideration  grows  out  of  this  knowledge 
of  God,  that  is  our  relation  to  Him.  His  in- 
finite goodness  makes  Him  love  truth  and  virtue. 
Our  highest  aim  in  life  is  to  imitate  Him,  the 
Source  of  Life,  and  practise  these  virtues.  To 
prove  the  immortality  of  the  soul  from  a  knoAvl- 


4  THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

edge  of  nature  is  difficult.  We  can  only  infer  it. 
The  greatest  philosophers  unassisted  could  not  pos- 
itively demonstrate  it.  Ample  illustrations  can 
be  found,  as  the  butterfly  coming  from  its  cocoon. 
These  are  not  proofs.  All  depends  upon  the  facts 
revealed  in  the  Christian  religion.  Taking  that 
as  true,  it  is  easy  to  see  how  rewards  and  punish- 
ments for  good  and  evil,  so  often  amiss  in  this 
world,  will  be  finally  and  properly  meted  out  in 
the  next.  Our  o^vn  conscience  tells  us  concerning 
our  own  individual  actions.  The  remorse  for  se- 
cret sins  or  the  gratification  at  the  performance  of 
right,  even  at  the  expense  of  self-interest,  con- 
demns or  approves  our  conduct.  This  world,  then, 
is  a  state  of  probation.  In  the  next,  we  receive 
our  eternal  deserts.     In  this  we  prepare  for  that. 

Of  a   Revelation 

The  very  doubt  with  which  we  spoke  in  the  last 
section,  concerning  the  future  world,  must  show 
us  how  reasonable  it  would  be  for  God  to  make 
the  matter  positively  known  to  man.  Our  knowl- 
edge is  exceedingly  limited.  The  greatest  philos- 
ophers and  scientists  have  only  been  culling  a  few 
shells  along  the  sea  shore,  beyond  is  the  gTeat  un- 
fathomable abyss  of  infinite  knowledge.  There 
must  be  much  of  it  that  would  be  useful,  especially 
concerning  life  in  eternity,  if  we  could  obtain  it. 
The  fact  that  very  early  man  neglected  the  precepts 
of  revelation  and  fell  into  idolatry,  does  not  mili- 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY  5 

tate  against  the  idea  of  its  having  been  given. 
This  but  illustrates  his  ignorance  and  needs,  which 
he  tried  to  supply  from  a  source  of  his  own  choos- 
ing, and  failed  (Job  xi.  7). 

Christian  Revelation  the  Best 

The   impossibility   of  banishing  the   religious 
sense  from  the  race  has  entitled  man  to  the  appella- 
tion of  being  a  ''religious  animal."     Xo  nation, 
ancient  or  modern,  has  ever  been  found  without  a 
religion  in  some  form.     If  we  were  deprived  of 
the  power  of  knowing  the  truth,  we  might  say  a 
man  ought  to  follow  that  religion  which  is  best  for 
him.    Were  this   the   only  question,   it  would  be 
very  easy  to  solve,  for  Christianity  is  undoubtedly 
the'  best,'^  teaching  the  purest  morals,  the  most  ex- 
alted in  its  aims,  and  the  preserver  of  the  highest 
state  of  civilization.     Wipe  out  Christianity  from 
the  fairest  portions  of  the  globe,  and  there  is  noth- 
ing to  take  its  place.     The  Eeigii  of  Terror  in 
France  was  the  result,  while  Kobespierre  and  Dan- 
ton  were  the  types  of  men  produced  when  the  ex- 
periment was  tried. 

Of  the  Truths  of  Christianity 

In  this  enlightened  age  and  country,  the  real 
question  for  us  to  know  is,  what  are  some  of  the 
foundations  for  the  truth  of  Christianity?  Do 
they  not  revolve  around  the  person  and  life  of 
Christ?      The    question    is    ever    confronting    us, 


6  THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

"What  think  ve  of  Christ  f'  (St.  Matt.  xxii.  42). 
His  unique  personality  and  the  perfectness  of  His 
character  show  His  superhuman  origin.  Such  a 
character  could  not  be  invented  by  man.  Xo 
writer  could  describe  it  unless  he  saw  it  and  came 
into  personal  contact  Avith  it.  He  Himself  was 
entirely  unconscious  of  sin.  He  claimed  to  be 
sinless.  He  is  never  charged  with  any  sin.  His 
enemies  said,  '^I  find  no  fault  in  this  man." 
"Truly  this  was  a  righteous  man."  Then  we  have 
His  perfect  humility  in  conjunction  with  His 
amazing  pretensions.  "I  am  the  Light  of  the 
world."  "I  and  the  Father  are  One."  "Before 
Abraham  was  I  am."  "I  am  the  Kesurrection  and 
the  Life."  Yet  He  was  the  lowliest  of  men.  His 
teaching  was  unique.  "Xever  man  spake  like  this 
man."  He  instituted  a  kingdom  which  He  said 
Avas  to  be  world-wide  and  to  last  through  the  ages. 
This  was  to  be  accomplished  not  by  sword  or  battle, 
but  by  the  "foolishness  of  preaching."  He  selected 
"unlearned  and  ignorant  men"  to  execute  His 
plans,  and  they  succeeded.  Xo  philosopher  or 
sage  ever  gave  utterance  to  such  lofty  ideals  as  are 
contained  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount.  He 
claimed  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  and  hence  either  He 
must  be  obeyed  and  adored,  or  He  is  an  impostor, 
with  no  right  to  our  allegiance  or  our  worship.  All 
the  facts  in  the  case,  the  beauty  of  His  character 
and  majesty  of  His  life,  prove  His  claims  just.    A 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY  7 

fearful  responsibility  falls  on  those  who  ignore  or 
deny  His  claims. 

Christ's  Influence 

Christ's  influence  on  men  has  been  tran- 
scendent. How  the}^  were  drawn  towards  Him 
during  His  lifetime!  He  taught  the  brotherhood 
of  man.  Kace  and  national  j^rejudice  fall  before 
His  religion.  He  gave  dignity  to  men  by  calling 
them  sons  of  God,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of 
personal  liberty.  The  poor  and  weak  can  claim 
His  sympathy.  Woman  has  been  elevated  as 
man's  helpmeet,  not  the  tool  of  his  passions.  Mar- 
riage has  been  sanctified.  Slavery  wanes  under 
His  teaching.  Hospitals,  orphanages  and  asylums 
have  been  erected.  He  makes  men  better  and 
stronger.  "Truly  this  man  was  the  Son  of  God" 
(St.  Mark  XV.  39). 

Miracles 

For  external  proof  we  have  the  appeal  to  mir- 
acles and  prophecies.  j\Iiracles  are  not  contrary 
to  law,  nor  of  such  a  character  as  to  render  testi- 
mony to  them  incredulous.  God  can  call  a  higher 
law  into  action.  All  suspended  bodies  are  drawn 
by  gravity  to  the  earth,  but  if  a  loadstone  is  held 
over  iron  filings  they  are  attracted  upwards.  This 
illustrates  the  law  of  miracles.  Leslie's  Short 
Method  ivith  Deists  has  laid  down  four  marks  to 
tell  a  true  miracle:     1.    That  the  fact  be  such  as 


8  THE  CHURCHMAN'S  PxEADY  REFERENCE 

men's  outward  senses  can  jndge  of;  2.  That  it  be 
publicly  performed  in  the  presence  of  witnesses; 
o.  That  there  be  public  monimients  and  actions 
kept  up  in  memory  of  it;  4.  That  such  public 
monuments  and  actions  be  established,  and  com- 
mended at  the  time  of  the  fact.  Xo  other  miracles 
except  those  of  Christianity  have  these  attestations. 
For  those  of  Mahomet,  the  claim  is  not  made.  The 
so-called  ecclesiastical  miracles  fall  below  the  test. 
The  miracles  of  Egypt  and  of  the  Israelites  are 
thus  attested.  The  Passover  was  instituted  to 
commemorate  the  slaying  of  the  firstborn.  Aaron's 
budded  rod,  the  pot  of  manna  and  the  brazen  ser- 
pent, were  preserved  for  hundreds  of  years. 

The  Resurrection  of  Christ 

Under  the  Gospel,  the  Church,  the  Eucharist, 
Baptism,  the  keeping  of  Easter  and  Sunday  can 
only  be  accounted  for  by  the  Resurrection  of 
Christ.  They  existed  from  the  very  time  the  event 
took  place,  and  are  based  upon  it.  It  was  a  fact  of 
which  His  disciples  could  be  certain.  They  were 
not  deceived,  for  He  appeared  at  so  many  different 
times,  and  under  so  many  circumstances  to  them 
singly  and  in  groups.  They  ate  with  Him, 
handled  Him  and  talked  with  Him.  They  were 
neither  deceivers  nor  deceived.  Paley's  Evidences 
of  Christianity  says:  ''There  is  satisfactory  evi- 
dence that  many  professing  to  be  original  witnesses 
of   the   Christian   miracles   passed    their   lives   in 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIAXITY  9 

labors,  dangers,  suft'e rings  voluntarily  undergone, 
in  attestations  of  the  accounts  which  they  deliv- 
ered, and  solely  in  consequence  of  their  belief  of 
those  accounts,  and  that  they  also  submitted  from 
the  same  motives  to  new  rules  of  conduct."  He 
then  proceeds  to  quote  from  the  Gospels  that  such 
propositions  were  foretold,  from  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles  and  the  Epistles  that  they  were  actually 
inflicted,  and  for  corroboration  he  refers  to  the 
Church  writers  of  the  day,  and  also  to  contempor- 
ary heathen  authors.  As  the  Apostles  were  not 
gainers,  but  losers,  by  their  course,  as  they  were  in- 
telligent, capable  of  discerning  the  truth  of  what 
they  preached,  they  must  have  believed  it,  and  on 
good  ground,  or  they  would  not  willingly  have 
suffered  as  they  did.  It  is  unnecessary  to  show 
how  Christianity  changes  a  man's  life,  and  consists 
not  in  obedience  to  formal  rules  but  in  the  develop- 
ment of  character.  ^'If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ, 
seek  those  things  that  are  above"  (Col.  iii.  1). 
'^Like  as  Christ  was  raised  up  from  the  dead  by  the 
glory  of  the  Father,  even  so  we  also  should  walk 
in  newness  of  life"  (Eom.  vi.  4).  The  believer 
who  does  not  is  called  by  the  world  a  hypocrite. 

The  Prophecies 

The  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  are  in 
themselves  very  remarkable.  Some  were  written 
hundreds  of  years  before  fulfilment.  Those  of 
Daniel  are  so  explicit,  the  charge  has  been  made 


10         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

that  they  were  written  several  centuries  after  his 
death.  But  that  is  not  altogether  satisfactory,  for 
the  very  latest  date  which  can  be  ascribed  to  the 
book  was  long  before  some  of  the  events  which  he 
describes  happened.  The  prophecies  are  very 
numerous.  The  most  remarkable  are  those  con- 
cerning the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  disper- 
sion of  the  Jews,  the  servile  condition  of  Egypt, 
the  fall  of  Babylon,  Xineveh,  and  Tyre,  cities 
whose  sites  are  desolate  wastes. 

Had  the  Gospel  never  been  written,  we  could 
read  the  whole  life  of  Christ  in  the  Prophets ;  His 
lineage,  priesthood,  ministry,  the  time  of  His  com- 
ing, place  of  His  birth,  rejection,  death,  resurrec- 
tion, and  ascension.  In  many  instances  the  details 
are  very  minute,  as  witness  Psalm  xxii.  and  Isaiah 
liii.  In  the  same  way  His  life  was  portrayed  by 
types,  as  Melchizedek,  Isaac,  Moses,  Joshua,  the 
Passover,  the  brazen  serpent,  etc.  As  St.  Augus- 
tine says,  'The  Xew  Testament  lies  latent  in  the 
Old,  and  the  Old  is  made  plain  in  the  Xew."" 

The   Diffusion   of  Christianity 

The  diffusion  of  Christianity  points  to  a 
divine  origin.  The  Church  rapidly  spread  among 
all  nations  and  tribes,  notwithstanding  the  op- 
position met.  The  cupidity  of  the  priests  of 
various  temples,  the  prejudice  of  the  Jews,   and 

*  See  Chap.  III. 


EVIDEXCES  OF  CHRISTIAXITY  11 

the  superstition  of  the  Gentiles,  could  not  endure 
the  thought  of  the  new  religion.  Its  moral 
restraints  rather  repelled  men  than  invited  them. 
The  teaching  of  the  Jewish  rabbis,  and  the  learn- 
ing of  heathen  philosophers,  were  arrayed  against 
it.  It  was  not  disseminated  like  Mahometanism, 
by  fire  and  sword.  The  preaching  of  Christ  cruci- 
fied was  ^'to  the  Jews  a  stumbling  block  and  to  the 
Greeks  foolishness."  Persecution  did  not  check 
the  growth.  ^'The  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  the 
seed  of  the  Church."  Account  for  the  rapid  and 
continuous  growth  as  we  will,  by  secondary  causes, 
the  primary  cause  of  divine  truth  and  divine  origin 
remains. 

Christianity  and  Science 

Christianity  and  Science  have,  by  some,  been 
thought  to  be  opposed  to  each  other.  This  is  im- 
possible. God  has  revealed  Himself  in  two  books, 
that  of  revelation,  and  that  of  nature;  hence,  the 
two  must  agree.  Discrepancies  are  apparent,  not 
real.  Sometimes  we  do  not  understand  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Bible  in  its  proper  sense.  Sometimes 
assertions  of  the  scientists  are  false.  Prof.  Lyell, 
the  noted  geologist,  said,  ''In  the  year  1806  the 
French  Institute  enumerated  no  less  than  eighty 
geological  theories,  which  were  hostile  to  the  Scrip- 
ture, but  not  one  of  those  theories  is  held  to-day." 
The  Bible  is  not  a  treatise  on  astronomy  or  any 


12         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  EEADY  REFERENCE 

other  science.     It  is  a  record  of  facts,  a  revelation 
of  God's  will. 

When  the  geologist  concluded  that  the  world 
was  probably  millions  of  years  in  being  formed,  it 
was  found  that  the  order  of  the  Creation  as  given 
by  Moses  was  the  same  as  that  recorded  in  the 
strata  of  the  rocks.  Commencing  with  the  neb- 
ular theory,  there  is  a  remarkable  agreement  to 
the  close  of  the  Mammalian  Period.  The  Hebrew 
word  "day,"  in  Genesis  i.,  stands  for  an  indefinite 
period  of  time.  '^Geology  at  first  seems  inconsist- 
ent with  the  authority  of  the  Mosaic  record.  In 
time  its  truths,  being  found  quite  irresistible,  are 
admitted,  and  mankind  continue  to  regard  the 
Scriptures  with  the  same  respect  as  before.  So 
also  with  other  sciences."- 

Evolution 

Evolution  was  supposed  to  upset  the  very  basis 
uj^on  which  Christianity  rested.  But  Genesis  i. 
states  the  order  of  development  to  be  the  same  that 
evolution  does:  first  vegetation  and  lower  animals, 
then  higher  animals,  and,  last  of  all,  man.  The 
principles  of  evolution  apply  to  religion ;  the  devel- 
opment of  the  higher  out  of  the  lower,  the  imfold- 
ing  of  the  bud  into  the  blossom.  God  revealed 
Himself  to  man  by  gradation;  first  the  Unity  of 
the  Godhead,  then  the  Trinity.     The  prophecies 

*  Vestiges  of  the  Creation. 


EVIDENCES  OF  CHRISTIANITY  13 

concerning  the  Messiah  were  given  by  degrees  to 
the  Jews.  Step  by  step  Christ  declared  His  mis- 
sion. Spiritual  life  is  represented  as  the  blade,  the 
ear,  the  full  corn.  Science  teaches  us  that  natural 
life  can  only  proceed  from  life.*  All  spiritual 
growth  is  based  upon  the  Incarnation.  ^'He  that 
iiath  the  Son  hath  life"  (I.  John.  v.  12).  Environ- 
ment in  the  Church  develops  that  life. 

Does   God   Answer   Prayer? 

Yes;  millions  of  Christians  attest  to  the  fact. 
Where  prayers  are  unanswered  it  is  because, 
1.  We  do  not  pray  aright  (St.  James  iv.  3)  ;  2. 
We  do  not  know  what  we  ought  to  have;  3.  God, 
who  has  under  His  providence  the  whole  human 
race,  its  present  and  future,  knows  sometimes  it 
would  not  be  good  to  answer  our  prayers.  Hence, 
all  true  prayers  are  offered  in  the  spirit  of  Christ, 
"'Not  My  will,  but  Thine  be  done."  It  may  be 
asked.  If  laws  are  fixed,  how  can  prayer  change 
the  divine  order?  The  human  will  accomplishes 
much  with  the  laws  of  nature,  which  those  laws 
would  not  accomplish  without  the  cooperation  of 
that  will.  The  law  of  gravitation  is  not  vitiated 
when  man  derives  from  it  the  subordinate  laws  of 
hydraulics,  nor  is  any  law  violated  when  a  ship 
sails  against  the  wind,  or  the  physician  neutralizes 
a  poison.     God  is  free,  and  His  will  can  surely  do 


*  See  Drummond's  ^'atiiral  Lnic  in  the  Sijiritual  World. 


14         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

as  much  as  man's.  lie  can  control  His  o\vii  laws 
without  breaking  them,  or  He  can  call  a  higher 
law  into  operation  (See  page  297). 

Difficulties 

Men  have  found  difficulties  in  understanding 
certain  verses  and  recorded  facts  of  the  Bible,  but 
so  many  books  have  been  written  to  explain  these, 
one  scarcely  knows  which  to  suggest.  One  thing 
is  certain,  he  who  rejects  Christianity  because  he 
cannot  understand  all  its  teachings  has  much  to 
explain  in  accounting  for  its  existence,  and  to 
decide  whether  it  be  from  God  or  man.  From  a 
philosophical  standpoint,  it  is  easier  and  more  con- 
sistent to  accept  than  to  reject  the  Gospel.  It  is 
worth  remembering  that  many  on  their  deathbed 
have  repented  and  accepted  its  teaching,  but  no 
one  in  the  same  position  ever  repented  being  a 
Christian. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    BIBLE 

THE  system  of  Christianity  is  enshrined  in  the 
Bible,  the  history,  character,  and  meaning  of 
which  we  will  now  examine.  It  is  a  collection  of 
sixty-six  distinct  books,  written  dnring  a  period  of 
1600  years,  the  oldest  of  which  was  written  3300 
years  ago,  and  is  probably  the  oldest  book  in  the 
world.  We  say  the  Bible  is  inspired,  and  by  that 
we  mean  that  its  contents  were  communicated  to 
the  writers  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  hence  it  is 
God's  Word  (II.  Tim.  iii.  16 ;  II.  Pet.  i.  21 ;  Heb. 
iv.  12),  spoken  by  hnman  organs  of  speech,  written 
by  human  hands,  and  moulded  in  some  degree  by 
human  thought.  The  individual  peculiarities  of 
the  writers  wTre  not  destroyed,  but  prevented  from 
recording  untruth  or  that  which  would  thwart  the 
purpose  of  the  Divine  Inspirer.  The  writers  were 
trumpets,  through  which  the  voice  of  God  sounded. 

The  Authenticity  of  the   Bible 

The    Authenticity    of    the    Bible    has    been 
proved    by    the    researches    of    learned    men    in 


IC         THE  CHUKCHMAN'S  HEADY  REFERENCE 

the  departments  of  literature,  antiquities,  and 
philology.  It  is  substantially  the  same  as  that 
which  was  originally  given  to  the  world.  There 
may  be  a  few  interpolations,  some  numbers  may 
have  been  inadvertently  changed,  or  dates  altered 
(Hebrew  numbers  are  letters,  and  greatly  resemble 
each  other),  but  in  the  main,  the  text  is  the  same. 
Of  the  Xew  Testament,  we  have  early  translations, 
quotations  by  writers,  commentaries,  and  manu- 
scripts which  go  back  nearly  to  the  days  of  the 
apostles.  It  is  more  quoted  than  any  other  book 
of  that  day.  Enemies,  as  Celsus  (2nd  century), 
and  the  jealous  divisions  of  Christendom,  have  pre- 
vented impositions  or  forgeries.  In  the  case  of  the 
Old  Testament,  there  are  agreements  of  versions, 
existing  long  before  the  time  of  Christ. 

Manuscripts 

Before  the  invention  of  printing,  books  were 
Avritten  on  sheepskin  and  paper.  The  original 
Xew  Testament  was  written  in  Greek,  the  literary 
language  of  the  world  in  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
Its  Jewish  origin  is  shoA\^i  by  the  unconscious  use 
of  Hebraisms,  thus  indicating  the  first  century  as 
the  only  age  when  it  could  have  been  written.  This 
fact  alone  denies  the  assertions  of  those  who  assig-n 
a  later  date  for  the  various  books.  When  a  new 
copy  was  made,  the  copyist  sometimes  did  the  work 
alone,  and  sometimes  a  second  party  read  while  the 
first  wrote.      In  this  manner  little  defects  could 


THE   BIBLE  17 

easily  creep  into  that  particular  manuscript,  and 
would  appear  in  all  copies  made  from  it.  Some- 
times a  copyist,  seeing  what  he  supposed  was  a 
flaw,  would  undertake  to  correct  it,  and  often  mar 
the  whole;  or  he  would  write  in  the  margin  an 
explanation,  and  this  in  succeeding  copies  would  be 
embodied  in  the  text.  Yet  all  these  variations, 
nimierous  as  they  may  appear,  are  very  trifling, 
not  altering  the  sense.  The  form  of  manuscripts 
was  different  from  modern  books.  There  were  no 
divisions,  no  punctuations,  and  very  often  a  line 
was  written  as  one  connected  vrhole,  thus  :  IX THE 
BEGIXXINGWASTHEWORDAXDTHEWOFt 
DWASWITHGOD. 

In  the  course  of  time  many  manuscripts  have 
been  lost,  and  yet  1,200  exist;  some  contain  the 
whole  of  the  'New  Testament,  others  being  lection- 
aries  or  gospels  only,  or  other  parts.  Of  these 
manuscripts,  two  are  referred  to  the  fourth  cen- 
tury, one  being  intact ;  two  to  the  fifth,  along  with 
a  number  of  fragments;  seven,  Avith  many  frag- 
ments, to  the  sixth,  and  so  on.  How^  much  better 
the  Bible  is  authenticated  than  all  other  ancient 
books,  as  the  poems  of  Homer,  or  the  orations  of 
Cicero,  we  can  see  by  comparing  the  above  numbers 
with  the  scarcity  of  manuscripts  belonging  to  them. 
There  are  only  about  a  half-dozen  manuscripts  of 
all  classic  authors,  which  date  no  further  back  than 
the  sixth  century.  Not  one  copy  of  Homer  is  pre- 
served which  dates  bevond  the  13th  centurv,  and  of 


18         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Herodotus  only  sixteen  of  any  age.  '  Yet  there  are 
twelve  hundred  of  the  Xew  Testament,  and  the 
number  is  constantly  being  increased  by  new  dis- 
coveries. 

The   Old   Testament 

The  Old  Testament  is  as  strongly  authen- 
ticated as  the  Xew.  The  Samaritan  copy  is  in 
general  agreement  with  the  Hebrew.  The  Samar- 
itans were  bitter  enemies  of  the  Jews,  during  a 
period  of  five  hundred  years  before  the  time  of 
Christ.  Each  kept  a  jealous  watch  that  the  other 
should  not  alter  the  text.  About  300  B.  C,  a 
translation  was  made  into  the  Greek,  called  the 
Septuagint,  which  has  helped  to  preserve  the  text. 
The  Jews  were  exceedingly  careful  to  avoid  any 
alterations  in  their  sacred  books.  They  would  not 
permit  a  single  ''jot  or  tittle"  to  be  dropped.  One 
flaw  vitiated  a  whole  manuscript.  They  had  the 
number  of  lines,  words  and  letters  counted,  to  expe- 
dite the  discovery  of  errors. 

The  Canon 

The  Old  Testament  does  not  contain  all  the  lit- 
erary productions  of  the  Hebrews.  Reference  is 
made  to  the  Book  of  Jasher  (Josh.  x.  13),  the  Book 
of  the  Wars  of  Jehovah  (Xum.  xxi.  14),  state 
papers  (I.  Kings  xxii.  39),  and  a  treatise  of  Solo- 
mon on  plants  7l  Kings  iv.  32,  33).  The  books 
we  revere  are  those  we  term  inspired.     In  the  Xew 


THE   BIBLE  19 

Testament  they  are  referred  to  as  ''Scripture" 
(Kom.  iv.  3),  ''Holy  Scripture"  (11.  Tim.  ii.  15), 
''The  Law  and  the  Prophets"  (St.  Matt.  vii.  12), 
or  "The  Law,  Prophets  and  Psalms"  (St.  Luke 
xxiv.  44).  After  the  return  from  Babylon,  Ezra, 
with  the  help  of  what  is  called  the  Great  Syna- 
gogue, composed  of  priests  and  devout  leaders  of 
the  nation,  edited  the  Old  Testament  as  we  now 
have  it.  The  books  are  said  to  belong  to  the  canon, 
that  is,  they  come  within  the  Rule,  or  Measure. 

The  Books  of  the  Xew  Testament  were,  after 
the  death  of  the  apostles,  gradually  gathered  into 
one  whole,  although  it  was  not  for  three  hundred 
years  that  the  matter  was  finally  settled.  Some 
wanted  to  include  in  the  Canon  books  which  were 
not  authentic  or  inspired.  Heretics  wanted  to  ex- 
clude inspired  Avritings  which  made  against  their 
systems.  But  the  Church  bore  witness  to  what  she 
had  received.  Thus  the  Church  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  Bible  were  bound  up  in  one  common 
interest,  nor  can  they  be  separated,  for  the  Church 
is  the  "pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth"  (I.  Tim.  iii. 
15),  and  the  Bible  is  the  "Word  of  God." 

The  Preservation  of  the  Bible 

Besides  the  reasons  already  given  why  Christi- 
anity is  true,  there  are  some  in  favor  of  the  Bible 
that  are  indei:)endent  of  any  religious  system  which 
it  supports.  Its  very  preservation  was  divine. 
We  have  seen  how  accurately  the  text  has  been 


20        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

handed  down,  more  care  given  to  it  than  to  any 
other  book.  It,  as  well  as  the  religion  which  it 
teaches,  has  passed  through  the  fires  of  persecution. 
B.  C.  170,  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  King  of  Syria, 
took  Jerusalem,  killing  over  40,000  Jews,  and  sell- 
ing many  more  into  slavery.  He  ordered  that 
whosoever  was  found  with  the  Book  of  the  Law 
should  be  put  to  death.  He  burned  every  copy  he 
could  find.  The  idolatry  to  which  the  Jews  were 
prone,  prior  to  the  Babylonian  captivity,  was  cal- 
culated to  endanger  the  safety  of  the  books.  But 
God  preserved  it,  and  when  it  became  very  scarce 
He  guided  the  king  to  find  a  true  copy  stored  in  the 
Temple  (11.  Kings  xxii.  8-10). 

During  the  persecution  of  Christianity  under 
the  Roman  emperors,  all  the  sacred  books  of  the 
Church  were  demanded.  Many  timid  and  luke- 
warm Christians,  to  save  their  lives,  delivered  them 
up,  and  informed  on  those  who  possessed  them. 
At  one  time  the  Church  authorities  would  have 
deprived  the  people  of  the  Bible,  and  even  burned 
whole  editions.  To-day,  the  printing  press  is  kept 
busy  supplying  the  demand.  "So  mightily  has 
grown  the  Word  of  God  and  prevailed." 

Agreement  of  the  Parts  of  the  Bible 

The  unity  of  the  Bible  is  no  less  remarkable,  if 
we  consider  the  diiferent  periods  at  which  it  was 
written,  its  various  writers,  and  the  multiplicity  of 
subjects    treated.      From    Genesis    to    Eevelation, 


THE  BIBLE  21 

Christ  is  the  centre  around  which  all  else  revolves. 
It  ever  holds  up  to  view  the  sinfulness  of  man, 
redemption  by  Christ,  the  holiness  of  God  and  His 
loving  mercy.  Moses  was  learned  in  all  the  Avis- 
dom  of  the  Egyptians ;  the  apostles  were  unlearned 
and  ignorant  men.  Joshua  was  a  military  leader ; 
Samuel,  a  judge;  Solomon,  a  king;  Jeremiah,  a 
priest ;  Daniel,  a  statesman ;  St.  Luke,  a  physician ; 
St.  Peter,  a  fisherman;  St.  Matthew,  a  tax-gath- 
erer; St.  Paul,  a  Pharisee.  They  wrote  laws, 
poems,  biographies,  history,  proverbs,  and  letters, 
and  yet  the  main  design  is  never  overlooked. 
Truth  is  everywhere  stamped  upon  the  face  of  their 
writings.  They  condemn  themselves  with  aston- 
ishing frankness.  They  do  not  palliate  the  crimes 
of  those  whom  most  writers  would  only  present  in 
the  best  light.  Thus  Moses  speaks  of  the  sins  of 
the  patriarchs,  of  his  grandfather,  Levi,  and  of  his 
own  shortcomings.  The  evangelists  relate  the  de- 
nial of  St.  Peter,  and  the  dissension  between  St. 
Paul  and  St.  Barnabas. 

Agreement  of  the   Bible  with   History 

Wherever  the  Bible  touches  the  history  of  other 
nations  it  is  corroborated.  For  a  long  period  there 
were  many  facts  which  profane  history  failed  to 
mention.  Within  this  century  scientific  men  have 
explored  the  hieroglyphics  of  Egypt,  the  monu- 
ments of  Moab,  Assyria,  and  Babylon.  Ancient 
coins  and  relics  have  been  unearthed,  and  all  tend 


22         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

to  verify  the  Old  Testament.  These  nations  were 
the  enemies  of  the  Jews,  yet  their  remains  show 
that  our  sacred  books  are  true.  In  the  Xew  Testa- 
ment, we  have  reference  to  Roman  and  Grecian 
manners,  to  rulers,  as  Pilate,  Agrippa,  and  Gallio, 
all  of  which  are  found  correct,  even  in  the  most 
minute  particulars."'-" 

Internal   Evidence 

The  Bible  contains  a  large  number  of  coinci- 
dences which  evidently  are  undesigned,  and  thus 
are  incidental  proofs  of  the  truthfulness  of  the 
writers.  They  are  generally  written  by  different 
persons  under  different  circumstances,  thus  show- 
ing no  conclusion. i"  But  what  shall  we  say  of  the 
moral  effects  of  the  Bible,  where  its  precepts  are 
revered  ?  The  horrors  of  war  have  been  mitigated, 
polygamy  abolished,  impure  religious  rites  sup- 
pressed, the  gladiatorial  sports,  which  sometimes 
sacrificed  twenty  thousand  lives  a  month,  forbid- 
den. The  Bible  Avorks  not  by  legislative  enact- 
ment, but  by  love.  It  acts  on  private  and  domes- 
tic life,  as  well  as  on  public.  It  has  introduced 
into  the  Avorld  charitable  homes  for  the  orphans 
and  aged,  hospitals  for  the  sick,  and  extended  sys- 
tems for  the  alleviation  of  all  the  woes  of  man. 
It  exalts  humanity,  while  self-denial  and  repent- 

*  Paley's  Evidences  of  Christianiiy,   Chap.  VI. 
t  Paley's  Horae  Paulinae,  or  Bliint's  Undesigned  Coinci- 
dences. 


THE   BIBLE  23 

aiice  are  placed  above  valor,  beauty  or  health.  A 
religion  is  taught  so  foreign  to  man's  natural  evil 
propensity,  yet  so  righteous,  that  we  can  say  this 
alone  shows  its  divine  origin. 

The  Apocrypha 

In  complete  Bibles  there  are  certain  books  pop- 
ularly though  not  very  accurately  termed  the 
Apocrypha,  bound  up  between  the  Old  and  Xew 
Testaments.  In  Eoman  Catholic  Bibles  they  are 
scattered  among  the  other  books  according  to  their 
historic  or  relative  order.  They  are  also  foimd  in 
the  ancient  Greek  version,  or  Septuagint,  but  the 
whole  Church  has  never  pronounced  them  canon- 
ical. Some  of  them  are  consistent  with  the  tone  of 
the  canonical  books,  and  some  are  true  history. 
There  is  no  clear  proof  that  the  Apocrypha  is 
inspired,  in  fact  there  is  much  to  show  that  it 
probably  was  not.  Besides,  we  only  possess  it  in 
a  Greek  translation,  if  it  were  ever  written  in 
Hebrew.  Article  VI.  in  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  says,  ''And  the  other  books  [the  Apoc- 
rypha] as  Hierome^  saith,  the  Church  doth  read 
for  example  of  life  and  instruction  of  manners, 
but  yet  doth  it  not  apply  them  to  establish  any  doc- 
trine." The  Apocrypha  was  never  regarded  by  the 
Jews  as  canonical  in  the  list  given  by  the  Babylon- 
ian Talmud,  Josephus  (A.D.  70),  or  Philo  (A.D. 

*  Hierome  or  Jerome  lived  from  about  340  to  420  A.  D. 
He  translated  the  Bible  into  the  Latin  Vulgate.   See  page  25. 


24         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  EEADY  REFERENCE 

50).  The  early  Christian  Fathers,  especially  all 
the  great  Hebrew  scholars,  rejected  it,  as  did  also 
many  councils,  and  the  whole  Eastern  Church  does 
to-day.  It  came  into  the  Church  through  the 
Septuagint,  but  was  not  regarded  as  canonical.  It 
was  first  formally  declared  to  be  part  of  Holy 
Scripture  by  the  Roman  Catholics  at  the  Council 
of  Trent  in  the  sixteenth  century.  It  was  never 
quoted  by  our  Lord  or  His  apostles. 
Ancient  Versions 

The  Hebrew  characters  w^e  now  have  were  not 
those  used  by  Moses,  Samuel,  David,  or  the  Proph- 
ets. They  were  introduced  among  the  Jews  dur- 
ing the  captivity.  How  great  was  the  difference 
cannot  be  exactly  determined.  Probably  it  was  no 
more  than  exists  between  what  we  call  Old  English 
and  our  present  Roman  letters.  The  first  version 
of  the  Bible  into  another  language  was  the  Septua- 
gint, and  w^as  made  about  300  B.  C,  at  the  request 
of  Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  for  his  Alexandrine 
library.  It  was  so  called  because  seventy-two "  men 
were  employed  in  the  work.  The  Jews  and  early 
Christians  believed  it  was  done  under  the  special 
inspiration  of  God's  Spirit.  As  the  Kew  Testa- 
ment was  written  in  Greek,  the  Septuagint  is  large- 
ly used  by  the  apostles  in  their  quotations,  even 
where  the  version  differs  from  the  Hebrew  Text. 


*  The  word  itself,  {^epluagint,  is  of  Latin  derivation,  and 
means  seventy. 


THE   BIBLE  25 

One  of  the  principles  of  those  carrying  the  Gos- 
pel into  other  lands  was  to  translate  for  public  and 
private  use  the  Bible,  and  to  give  a  liturg}^  in  a 
language  understood  by  the  people.  The  earliest 
Christian  version  was  the  Syriac,  a  language 
spoken  in  that  part  of  Eoman  Empire  of  which 
Antioch  was  the  capital,  and  where  the  disciples 
were  first  called  Christians.  It  was  a  dialect  simi- 
lar to  that  spoken  by  our  Lord  in  Galilee.  The 
Latin  version  was  very  old,  and  as  revised  by  Jer- 
ome about  A.  D.  400  is  kno^vn  as  the  Vulgate. 
For  centuries  in  the  Western  Church  no  other  ver- 
sion was  used.  It  is  now  the  authorized  version  of 
the  Church  of  Eome,  being  in  the  language  of  her 
liturgy,  conciliar  acts  and  papal  letters.  In  mod- 
ern times,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Bible 
societies  and  missionaries,  the  Bible  has  been  trans- 
lated into  hundreds  of  languages  and  dialects. 

The  English  Bible 

The  English  people  have  been  blessed  with  vari- 
ous versions  of  the  Bible,  even  while  many  author- 
ities in  the  Church,  through  ignorance,  forbade  it. 
This  prohibition  was  principally  brought  about 
by  the  influence  of  foreign  ecclesiastics,  and  was 
never  very  strong,  until  the  1 5th  century,  and  was 
entirely  wiped  out  in  the  16th.  Among  the  ear- 
liest was  an  attempt  by  Caedmon  (A.  D.  680)  to 
render  the  Old  Testament  into  verse.  After  him 
the  Venerable  Bede  (A.  D.  T35)  put  the  Gospels 


26        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  EEADY  REFEREXCE 

into  the  vernacular.  King  Alfred  the  Great  (A,D. 
900)  devoted  part  of  his  time  to  translating  the 
Psalms  into  Anglo-Saxon.  In  the  14th  century, 
Wicliffe  made  the  first  version  into  English  of  the 
whole  Bible.  He  was  persecuted,  but  finally  died 
in  peace.  The  English  of  those  days  was  very  dif- 
ferent from  ours.  At  the  Keformation,  various 
attempts  were  made  to  circulate  the  Scriptures  in 
translations  that  the  people  could  understand. 
These  Henry  VIII.  endeavored  to  suppress,  until 
at  length  God  touched  his  heart,  and  he  ordered  a 
copy  of  the  Bible  in  English  to  be  placed  in  every 
parish  church,  where  the  people  might  resort  and 
read.  The  Psalter  of  the  Prayer  Book  is  in  this 
early  translation,  and  is  used  because  of  its  har- 
monious rhythm,  making  it  appropriate  for  chant- 
ing in  divine  worship.  This  version  was  called  the 
Bishops'  Bible  (1535).  The  party  of  the  old  learn- 
ing still  tried  to  burn  the  Book  and  those  either 
circulating  or  translating  it.  During  Elizabeth's 
reign,  a  version  was  put  forth  from  Geneva,  under 
Puritan  influence.  It  w^as  for  a  time  very  popular. 
Our  present  Authorized  Version  was  made  under 
King  James  I.  by  the  Bishops  and  Convocation 
(1607-1611).  It  is  based  upon  all  preceding  ver- 
sions, so  that  where  the  language  had  become  dear 
and  familiar  to  the  people  no  alteration  was  made, 
unless  the  sense  required  a  change.  Although  en- 
tirely the  work  of  the  Church  of  England  (Episco- 
pal) it  is  used  by  all  denominations,  except  the  Ko- 


THE   BIBLE  27 

man  Catholics,  who  have  one  of  their  own,  not  so 
rhythmical  nor  so  accurate,  and  not  well  known  even 
among  their  own  people.  In  the  course  of  nearly 
three  hundred  years,  the  English  langaiage  has  un- 
dergone some  change.  Words  are  used  now  in  a  dif- 
ferent sense  from  what  they  were  then.  Thus  in 
St.  Matt.  vi.  34,  the  phrase,  'Take  no  thought  for 
the  morrow"  should  be  translated  ''Be  not  anxious 
for  to-morrow."  So  a  new  translation,  called  the 
Revised  Version,  has  been  made,  and  in  two  ver- 
sions, English  and  American,  is  authorized  for 
alternative  use  in  our  churches. 

Division  Into  Chapters  and  Verses 

We  have  already  seen  how  manuscripts  were 
written  without  any  break  in  the  lines.  In  Jewish 
times  the  law  was  divided  into  fifty-four  parts,  so 
as  to  provide  a  lesson  for  each  Sabbath  in  the  Jew- 
ish religious  year.  In  later  times,  Eusebius  (4th 
century)  divided  the  Gospels  into  ten  parts.  The 
division  into  chapters  was  made  in  the  12th  cen- 
tury, but  not  until  1551  was  the  division  of  verses 
introduced.  These  various  divisions  are  useful 
for  easy  reference,  but  are  not  of  divine  authority, 
and  often  obscure  the  sense. 

Using  the  Bible 

Using  the  Bible  is  a  frequent  command. 
Those  doing  so,  like  the  Bereans  (Acts  xvii.  11), 
are  commended.     Our  Lord  was  ever  quoting  the 


28         THE  CHUECHMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Old  Testament.  Upon  it  the  apostles  based  their 
argument  that  He  is  the  Christ.  How  much  more 
profitable  must  the  Xew  Testament  be!  (II.  Tim. 
iii.  16.)  There  are  three  uses  of  Scripture:  1. 
To  improve  our  lives  by  learning  the  trials,  defeats 
and  victories  of  former  saints,  and  God's  promises 
and  warnings  to  them.  2.  To  raise  the  spirit  of 
devotion.  3.  For  doctrine.  Here  it  is  to  be 
remembered  that  no  Scripture  is  of  private  inter- 
pretation (11.  Peter  i.  20),  and  men  must  be- 
ware lest  they  wrest  it  to  their  own  destruction 
(II.  Peter  iii.  16).  The  eumich  said  he  could  not 
understand  Scripture  unless  someone  should  guide 
him  (Acts  viii.  30,  31).  To  interpret  the  Bible 
for  one's  self,  and  then  set  that  opinion  up  against 
the  Church,  which  Christ  instituted  to  preserve  and 
teach  the  truth  (I.  Tim.  ii.  15),  is  to  claim  divine 
wisdom,  over  and  above  what  is  meted  out  to  the 
Church  as  a  whole.  ^'The  faith  was  once  delivered 
unto  the  saints"  ( Jude  3).  'No  man  may  vary  from 
that.  If  he  does,  it  is  not  said  that  his  salvation  is 
endangered,  though  it  may  be  on  account  of  his 
persistence  against  God's  Church,  and  his  lack  of 
humility;  but  it  is  said  that  he  rejects  absolute 
truth,  that  is,  the  true  faith.  The  Church  bears 
testimony  as  to  what  she  held  first,  and  has  always 
held.  Hence  she,  in  her  universal  character,  as 
'^the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth,"  is  the  final 
arbiter  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  faith.  She 
does  not  interpret  contrary  to  the  Bible,  nor  declare 


THE   BIBLE  29 

that  to  be  of  faith  which  is  not  distinctly  contained 
in  God's  Word.  The  Bible  is  like  the  Constitution 
of  the  United  States.  The  Church  is  the  supreme 
court  to  interpret.  If  every  man  interpreted  our 
laws  for  himself,  social  anarchy  would  exist. 
Where  every  man  interprets  the  Bible,  ecclesias- 
tical anarchy  (many  denominations)  exists  (I.  Cor. 
xiv.  26).  We,  as  dutiful  children,  accept  w^hat 
the  Church  says,  and  like  the  Bereans,  search  to 
see  if  these  things  are  so.  We  thus  harmonize 
authority  and  conscience.  To  yield  a  blind  obedi- 
ence leads  to  superstition,  to  rely  solely  on  reason, 
to  rationalism.  The  two,  obedience  and  reason 
combined,  make  us  loyal  and  contented. 

Xicholls'  Help  to  the  Reading  of  the  Bible  will 
more  fully  explain  the  contents  of  this  chapter. 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE 

THE  story  of  the  Bible  shows  how  God  has  ever 
had  people  in  the  world  who,  waiting  upon 
His  redemption,  have  looked  beyond  this  life  for 
happiness  and  reward.  The  history  of  the  Church 
to  be  given  in  another  chapter  contains  the  thread 
of  the  narrative  to  modern  times.  St.  Augustine 
(420  A.  D.)  says  the  Xew  Testament  lies  concealed 
in  the  Old,  and  the  Old  is  made  plain  in  the  ^ew. 
In  this  spirit  the  story  is  here  briefly  told. 
The  Creation 

The  Book  of  Genesis  opens  with  an  account  of 
the  Creation,  'Tn  the  beginning,"  as  St.  John's 
Gospel  (chap,  i.)  speaks  of  the  Word  of  God,  which 
was  in  the  beginning,  and  by  whose  breath  the 
world  was  made.  This  material  Creation  is  but 
the  counterpart  of  the  spiritual  creation,  by  which 
we  receive  new  hearts.  The  first  thing  to  accom- 
plish this  is  light.  As  God  said  on  the  first  day, 
"Let  there  be  light !"  He  now  says  to  the  soul,  Let 
the  knowledge  of  Christ,  the  Light  of  the  world, 
shine  in  the  heart. 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  31 

Our  First  Parents 

The  first  man  was  Adam/^  made  out  of  the  dust 
of  the  ground,  the  virgin  soil,  into  whom  God 
breathed  the  breath  of  life.  His  antitype  is 
Christ  f  (Rom.  v.  14),  ''the  last  Adam,"  conceived 
by  the  Holy  Ghost  overshadowing  the  Virgin  Mary. 
Adam  Avas  cast  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  from  a  rib 
was  formed  Eve,  his  wife.  When  Christ  lay  in  the 
sleep  of  death,  from  His  pierced  side  came  forth 
blood  and  water,  the  elements  of  the  two  great  Sac- 
raments of  His  Bride,  the  Church.  Adam  and 
Eve  were  placed  in  the  garden  to  till  it.  They 
could  eat  of  all  the  trees  except  the  fruit  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge  of  good  and  evil.  If  our  first 
parents  had  not  sinned,  death  would  have  been  a 
stranger  to  man,  and  possibly  all  would  have  been 
translated  like  Enoch. 

The  Temptation 

Satan  in  the  form  of  a  serpent  tempted  Eve, 
showing  her  how  the  forbidden  fruit  was  pleasant 
to  the  eye,  good  for  food  and  to  be  desired.  These 
are  the  three  lusts  mentioned  by  St.  John  (I.  John 
ii.  16),  of  the  flesh,  of  the  eye,  and  the  pride  of 
life.     Our  Lord  submitted  to  three  similar  tempta- 

*  For  a  careful  consideration  of  the  Creation  narratives 
in  the  light  of  modern  science,  see  F.  J.  Hall,  Evolution  and 
the  Fall. 

t  See  two  books,  Christ  in  the  Law  and  Christ  in  the 
Prophets;  small,  readable,  and  inexpensive. 


32         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

tions  in  the  wilderness,  but  He  resisted  them  all. 
Adam  and  Eve  fell,  and  Avere  driven  from  the  gar- 
den with  a  curse.  Man  was  to  earn  his  bread  by 
the  sweat  of  his  brow.  In  sorroAv  woman  was  to 
bring  forth  children.  But  with  the  curse  came  a 
blessing.  The  seed  of  the  woman  should  crush  the 
serpent's  head,  which  seed  was  Christ. 

Cain  and  Abel 

The  first  children  born  to  Adam  and  Eve  were 
Cain,  a  tiller  of  the  soil,  and  Abel,  a  keeper  of 
sheep.  At  a  time  Avhen  the  two  came  to  worship, 
Cain  brought  the  fruits  of  the  earth,  but  Abel,  fol- 
lowing the  directions,  evidently  given  to  pre-figure 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ,  brought  of  his  flock.  Cain's 
offering  was  rejected,  and  Abel's  accepted.  Filled 
with  wrath  and  envy,  Cain  slew  his  brother.  But 
as  the  apostle  says,  "Abel  being  dead  yet  speak- 
eth,"  a  witness  of  the  persecution  Avhich  righteous- 
ness is  ever  receiving  at  the  hand  of  wickedness. 
After  this  first  murder,  Cain  fled  and  built  a  city. 
He  thus  indicated  how  the  children  of  this  world 
seek  contentment,  but  the  children  of  God  are 
"strangers  and  pilgrims  on  the  earth,"  and  "look 
for  a  city  which  hath  foundations,  whose  builder 
and  maker  is  God"  (Heb.  xi.  10).  The  type  of 
this  city  of  God  is  the  Church,  Antediluvian,  Patri- 
archal, Hebrew  and  Christian,  forming  one  contin- 
uous "household  of  saints." 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  33 

The  Antediluvian   Cliurch 

The  next  son  born  to  Adam  and  Eve  was  Seth. 
The  descendants  of  Cain  and  Seth  illnslrate  the 
moral  division  of  mankind,  ''the  children  of  men," 
and  ''the  sons  of  God."  Among  the  first  descend- 
ants of  Cain  were  the  thoroughly  worldly-minded, 
as  they  were  the  first  workers  in  metals,  the  in- 
ventors of  musical  instruments,  and  the  first  big- 
amists. On  the  other  hand,  among  the  descend- 
ants of  Seth  were  Enoch,  who  "walked  with  God," 
and  "he  was  not,  for  God  took  him";  and  jSToah, 
who  "found  gTace  in  the  eyes  of  the  Lord." 

The   Flood 

Men  continued  to  grow  worse  in  sin,  so  God  de- 
termined to  purify  the  world  by  a  flood.  N^oah,  a 
"preacher  of  righteousness,"  was  commanded  to 
build  an  ark,  in  which  himself  and  family  were 
saved.  In  another  chapter  it  will  be  shown  how 
the  ark  was  a  type  of  the  Church,  and  the  flood,  of 
Baptism.  Traditions  of  the  flood  exist  among  all 
nations,  and  show  the  universality  of  the  catas- 
trophe. When  the  Avaters  subsided,  E'oah  came 
from  the  ark,  and  his  first  act  was  to  build  an  altar 
for  worship.  From  his  three  sons,  Shem,  Ham, 
and  Japheth,  was  peopled  the  whole  world.  The 
present  state  of  science,  in  all  its  branches,  points 
distinctly  to  the  threefold  division  of  the  race  in 
earlv  davs. 


34         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Babel 

As  men  multij^lied,  wickedness  grew  apace. 
Lest  they  should  again  be  destroyed  by  a  flood,  they 
bnilt  the  tower  of  Babel,  to  defy  God,  and  reach 
heaven.  The  bricks  and  bitumen  used  as  mortar 
clearly  point  to  the  plain  of  Babylon  as  the  region, 
and  probably  the  ruins  of  the  temple  of  Belus  are 
the  remains  of  this  tower.  God  came  do^\Ti  and 
confounded  their  speech,  and  dispersed  them  over 
the  earth.  Just  as  at  Pentecost,  the  Spirit  of  God 
brought  peace,  not  confusion,  and  men,  running 
together,  ^'heard  every  man  in  his  own  tongaie  the 
w^onderful  works  of  God."  The  tenth  chapter  of 
Genesis  tells  how  the  races  of  men  were  divided, 
and  this  division  is  scientifically  true,  bearing  the 
closest  inspection  of  the  philologist  and  archaeolo- 
gist. 

Abraham 

God  now  determined  to  choose  out  of  the  world 
those  who  should  serve  Him.  He  designated  them 
by  outward  signs.  He  called  Abraham  out  of  Ur 
of  the  Chaldees,  where  idolatry  abounded,  to  the 
land  of  Canaan  which  He  promised  to  his  seed.  In 
the  two  sons  of  Abraham,  we  again  have  the  idea  of 
the  children  of  men  and  the  sons  of  God.  St.  Paul 
uses  them  as  an  allegory  (Gal.  iv.  22-31).  For 
a  time  Abraham  had  no  children.  In  accordance 
w^ith  an  Eastern  custom,  his  wife,  Sarah,  gave  him 
her  handmaid,  Hagar,  by  whom  he  had  Ishmael. 


THE   STORY  OF  THE  BIBLE  35 

After  this,  the  sign  of  Circumcision  was  given, 
with  the  command  that  every  male  child,  when 
eight  days  old,  shonld  be  brought  into  covenant 
with  God.  Ishmael  was  the  child  of  bondage,  a 
child  of  this  world,  subject  to  its  elements.  Ac- 
cording to  prophecy,  his  hand  was  to  be  against 
every  man,  and  every  man's  hand  against  him. 
History  proves  this  true.  His  descendants  are  the 
Arabs,  and  ]\Iahomet,  the  false  prophet,  was  of  his 
lineage. 

Isaac 

God  promised  Sarah,  even  in  her  old  age,  that 
she  should  have  a  son.  Thus  Isaac  became  the 
child  of  promise,  a  type  of  Christ,  the  promised 
seed.  His  typical  character  is  made  more  evident 
by  Abraham's  trial  of  faith.  He  was  told  to  take 
"his  son,  his  only  son  Isaac,"  and  offer  him  upon 
an  altar  to  Jehovah.  He  obeyed,  but  before  the 
fatal  blow  was  struck  an  angel  told  him  not  to  hurt 
his  son.  Thereupon  he  released  Isaac,  and,  catch- 
ing a  ram,  sacrificed  it.  Here  was  pre-figured  the 
offering  of  God's  only  Son,  'Svho  was  delivered  for 
our  offences,  and  was  raised  again  for  our  justifica- 
tion" (Kom.  iv.  25). 

Jacob  and   Esau 

When  Isaac  had  reached  the  age  of  maturity,  he 
took  a  wife  from  his  mother's  family,  named  Re- 
bekah.   She  became  the  mother  of  two  sons,  another 


36         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

illustration  of  the  different  careers  set  before  us  in 
the  children  of  men  and  the  sons  of  God.  Their 
names  were  Esau,  the  elder,  and  Jacob.  Esau  on 
one  occasion  came  in  from  hunting,  tired  and  hun- 
gry. He  saw  Jacob  enjoying  a  mess  of  pottage, 
and  agreed  to  sell  his  birthright  for  the  savory 
food.  The  children  of  this  world  are  ever  ready 
to  give  up  their  eternal  inheritance  for  the  pleas- 
ures of  the  moment.  As  Isaac  enjoyed  the  product 
of  the  chase,  he  loved  Esau,  but  the  mother  loved 
Jacob.  When  Isaac  in  his  old  age  wished  to  bless 
Esau,  he  sent  him  for  venison.  These  blessings 
were  regarded  as  prophetical ;  and  as  Esau  had  sold 
his  birthright  the  blessing  properly  belonged  to 
Jacob,  though  the  deception  used  to  secure  it  must 
always  stand  condemned.  At  his  mother's  sugges- 
tion, Jacob  killed  and  dressed  a  kid,  and  passed 
himself  off  as  his  brother.  The  old  and  sightless 
Jacob  could  neither  perceive  the  disguise  nor  de- 
tect the  meat  imposed  upon  him.  He  thereupon 
blessed  his  youngest  son  with  the  dew  of  heaven, 
the  corn  and  the  wine,  implying  that  the  elect  of 
God  should  enjoy  the  dew  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
the  Sacramental  Presence  in  the  consecrated  Bread 
and  Wine.  Some  time  after,  Esau  returned  from 
the  hunt,  and  when  he  begged  for  a  blessing  Isaac 
could  only  give  him  the  dew  of  heaven,  for  even 
outside  of  the  ordinary  channels  of  divine  grace 
men  may  receive,  in  some  measure,  the  Holy 
Spirit. 


THE   STORY  OF  THE  BIBLE  37 

Joseph 

Iv'aturally,  Esau  was  enraged,  and  Jacob  was 
compelled  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  In  the  old  home 
of  his  mother  he  married  his  wives,  and  begat 
twelve  children,  the  heads  of  the  twelve  tribes  of 
Israel.  The  favorite  was  Joseph,  and  thus  the 
envv  of  the  others  was  excited.  They  seized  an 
opportunity  to  sell  him  for  twenty  pieces  of  silver. 
(Our  Lord  was  sold  for  thirty  pieces  of  a  less 
value.)  Joseph  was  carried  to  Egypt,  where  his 
uprightness  was  the  means  of  his  being  falsely  ac- 
cused, and  he  was  cast  into  prison.  Among  his 
fellow-prisoners  were  the  chief  baker  and  the  chief 
butler  of  Pharaoh,  King  of  Eg}7:>t.  These  had 
dreams  which  Joseph  correctly  interpreted  to  mean 
that  Pharaoh  would  restore  the  butler,  but  execute 
the  baker.  It  will  be  remembered  that  our  Lord 
was  crucified  between  two  thieves,  one  of  whom  re- 
ceived life  in  Paradise,  and  the  other  the  deserts 
of  his  sins. 

The   Famine 

Sometime  after  the  butler  was  restored  to 
kingly  favor,  Pharaoh  had  two  dreams,  which  no 
one  could  interpret.  Then  the  chief  butler  remem- 
bered Joseph,  who  was  able  to  predict  seven  years 
of  plenty  and  seven  years  of  famine.  He  advised 
Pharaoh  to  store  up  grain  for  the  time  of  want. 
To  do  this,  Joseph  was  made  governor  of  Egypt, 
and  second  to  the  king.     The  famine  extended  to 


38         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

surrounding  countries.  Canaan,  where  Jacob  and 
his  sons  Avere  living,  was  also  affected,  so  that  it 
became  necessary  for  the  Patriarchs  to  visit  Egypt 
and  buy  corn.  Upon  the  second  visit,  Joseph 
made  himself  known  to  his  brethren,  who  at  his 
invitation  moved  to  Goshen,  in  Egypt,  'Svith  their 
flocks  and  little  ones." 

Moses 

As  years  rolled  by,  a  new  dynasty  of  kings 
arose  in  Egypt  inimical  to  the  memory  of  Joseph. 
These  became  alarmed  at  the  increase  of  the  He- 
brews, and  feared  lest  a  strange  people  in  their 
midst  might  raise  the  standard  of  revolt.  Orders 
were  issued  that  all  Hebrew^  male  children  should 
be  killed  as  soon  as  born.  In  many  instances  the 
edict  was  disregarded.  Among  the  infants  who 
were  saved  was  Moses.  His  parents  put  him  in  an 
ark  of  bulrushes,  and  set  it  adrift  on  the  Kiver 
'Nile,  It  attracted  the  attention  of  Pharaoh's 
daughter,  w^ho  took  him  and  raised  him  as  her  own 
child.  ^'This  is  that  Moses  which  said  unto  the 
children  of  Israel,  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your 
God  raise  up  unto  you  of  your  brethren  like  imto 
me;  Him  shall  ye  hear"  (Acts  viii.  37).  He  was 
the  great  type  of  Christ  as  prophet  and  mediator. 
The  resemblance  between  the  two  begins  with  the 
persecution  both  endured  in  infancy,  until  Moses 
stood  on  Mount  Pisgah,  and  our  Lord  ascended 
from  the  Mount  of  Olives. 


THE   STORY  OF  THE  BIBLE  39 

The   Bondage 

Finding  that  the  Israelites  still  multiplied, 
they  were  put  under  a  heavy  bondage,  and  com- 
pelled to  make  bricks.  They  built  Pharaoh's  treas- 
ure cities,  remains  of  which  are  still  found.  The 
hieroglyphics  of  Egypt  abound  in  corroboration  of 
the  sacred  narrative.  When  Moses  grew  to  man- 
hood, his  heart  yearned  for  his  kindred,  rather 
than  for  the  royal  family,  "choosing  rather  to 
suffer  affliction  with  the  i>eople  of  God,  than  to 
enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season"  (Heb.  xi. 
25).  Attempting  to  give  relief  to  one  of  his 
brethren,  he  slew  an  Egyptian,  and  was  compelled 
to  flee.  He  remained  in  and  around  Sinai 
(IToreb)  forty  years,  while  his  people  suffered. 

The  Burning  Bush 

Here  in  the  wilderness,  God  appeared  to  him 
in  a  burning  bush,  which  was  not  consumed.  This 
is  a  type  of  the  Incarnation ;  Christ's  manhood  was 
imited  to  His  Godhead  without  injury,  and  both 
were  compassed  about  with  thorns  of  suffering 
flesh.  From  this  bush  God  revealed  Himself  as 
the  I  AM.  He  told  Moses  to  return  to  Egypt,  and 
how  to  act  in  order  to  deliver  the  people. 

The   Plagues 

By  the  bondage,  the  children  of  Israel  had  be- 
come valuable  to  the  Egyptians,  and  hence  Pha- 
raoh refused   to  release   the   people   when   Moses 


40        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

demanded  it.  To  compel  him  to  yield,  so  that  the 
glory  might  be  God's,  ten  j)lagues  were  sent  in 
rapid  succession  upon  the  land,  afflicting  the  crops, 
the  cattle  and  man.  These  plagues  were  also  di- 
rected against  the  various  false  gods  of  Egypt,  so- 
called  protectors  from  the  disasters  which  fell  upon 
the  land.  From  the  Book  of  Revelation,  where 
God  pours  out  the  vials  of  His  wrath  upon  spiritual 
Egypt,  we  learn  how  in  the  bondage  of  sin  the 
wicked  mil  be  punished  with  the  "last  plagues." 
The  first  plague  was  changing  water  into  blood. 
The  Xile  was  an  Egj^Dtian  god,  the  source  of  fer- 
tility, and  its  injury  was  a  national  calamity.  At 
times,  now,  the  Xile  assumes  a  blood-like  appear- 
ance, caused  by  the  rapid  growth  of  certain  algae, 
for  all  the  plagues  were  natural  phenomena  inten- 
sified. The  first  miracle  of  our  Lord  was  changing 
water  into  wine,  because  He  brought  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light,  of  which  wine  is  the  symbol, 
but  the  law  of  Moses  threatened  death  (St.  John 
i.  17).  The  Church  changes  the  water  of  Baptism 
into  the  wine  of  Holy  Communion. 

The  Deliverance 

The  last  plague  was  smiting  all  the  firstborn  of 
the  Egyptians.  The  Israelites  were  protected. 
They  had  been  commanded  to  kill  a  lamb  and 
sprinkle  the  doorposts  with  its  blood,  while  the 
flesh  was  to  furnish  a  feast.  This  was  to  be  a 
"memorial,"  continued  in  after  ages.     The  angel 


THE   STORY   OF  THE   BIBLE  41 

of  the  Lord,  seeing  the  blood,  knew  a  faithful  Is- 
raelite was  within,  and  so  "passed  over"  the  house. 
The  apostle  calls  ''Christ  our  Passover"  (I.  Cor.  v. 
7).  He  was  the  ''Lamb  of  God  which  tak- 
eth  away  the  sin  of  the  world"  (St.  John  i.  29). 
If  our  hearts  are  sprinkled  with  His  blood, 
we  are  safe.  His  flesh  also  furnishes  the  feast  of 
the  Eucharist,  the  "memorial"  Christ  has  com- 
manded us  to  make.  The  last  plague  resulted  in 
the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites,  but  the  Egyptians, 
soon  repenting,  followed  in  pursuit,  until  the  Red 
Sea  was  reached.  Here  the  Hebrews  despaired, 
with  the  sea  in  front,  and  the  enemy  behind.  But 
God  made  a  highway  for  them  through  the  sea,  so 
that  they  landed  safely  beyond,  which  the  Egyp- 
tians attempting  to  do  were  drowned.  How  the 
passage  of  the  Eed  Sea  is  a  type  of  Baptism  will  be 
mentioned  in  its  proper  place. 

The  Wilderness 

Various  instances  of  the  forty  years'  journey 
in  the  wilderness  are  typical  of  Christ  and  the  rites 
of  the  Church.  Moses  gave  the  law  on  Sinai  as 
Christ  declared  its  spiritual  application  in  the  Ser- 
mon on  the  Mount.  When  the  people  hungered, 
God  gave  them  manna,  bread  from  heaven.  This 
was  probably  a  natural  product  of  the  desert  mir- 
aculously multiplied.  Christ  fed  five  thousand 
with  a  few  loaves,  and  was  Himself  the  Bread 
which  came  do^\Ti  from  heaven.     This  He  gives  us 


42         THE  CHrPvCH:\rAX"S  READY  REFERENCE 

in  His  sacrament.  When  the  people  thirsted  be- 
cause water  Avas  scarce,  Moses  was  commanded  to 
strike  a  rock,  and  water  gushed  out.  The  apostle 
says,  ^'That  rock  was  Christ."  To  the  woman  of 
Samaria  Jesus  said,  "Whosoever  clrinketh  of  the 
water  that  I  shall  give  him  shall  never  thirst."  At 
one  of  the  feasts  in  Jerusalem,  He  said,  "If  any 
man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  ^le,  and  drink.  He 
that  believeth  on  ]\Ie,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out 
of  his  belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  In 
Baptism  the  beauty  of  these  passages  finds  its  ap- 
plication. 

The   Law 

When  the  people  reached  Sinai,  God  consol- 
idated the  nation.  Through  ^[oses  the  Law  was 
given.  The  first  communication  was  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments written  upon  two  tables  of  stone,  which 
are  now  to  be  written  upon  the  fleshy  tables  of  the 
heart.  Moses  then  went  up  into  the  mountain  to 
receive  the  other  parts  of  the  Law,  jiertaining  to 
religion,  ritual  worship,  and  political  government. 
There  he  was  transfigured,  as  our  Lord  was  during 
His  lifetime.  The  Church  sees  in  St.  John's 
vision  on  Patmos  the  deliverance  of  her  mode  of 
worship,  similar  to  the  manner  the  Israelites  re- 
ceived theirs  from  Moses.  The  resemblance  of  the 
Christian  Church  to  the  tabernacle  will  be  shoA\rQ 
elsewhere.  The  seven  golden  candlesticks  and  the 
table  of  shew-bread  are  types  of  Christ,  the  Light 


THE   STORY  OF   THE   BIBLE  43 

of  the  world,  and  the  true  Bread  of  Heaven.  In 
the  holy  of  holies,  into  which  the  high  priest  went 
to  make  an  atonement  for  his  people,  was  the  ark 
of  the  covenant,  veiled  from  human  sight.  So  now 
Christ  is  entered  into  heaven  and  ''ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  us." 

The  Ritual  of  the  Tabernacle 

The  Ritual  of  the  Tabernacle  would  re- 
quire a  long  description  to  do  it  justice.  The 
priesthood  rested  in  the  family  of  Aaron,  of  whom 
one  was  called  the  high  priest.  The  tribe  of  Levi 
became  assistants.  Special  feasts  were  appointed. 
There  w^ere  numerous  sacrifices  and  ablutions,  the 
use  of  lights  and  incense.  Admirable  laws  were 
enacted  for  the  administration  of  justice.  The 
central  idea  was  the  fact  that  God  was  King.  In 
every  part  of  the  Law  Christ  is  seen  as  its  anti- 
type. 

Rebellions 

After  leaving  Sinai,  the  people  moved  to  the 
very  borders  of  the  promised  land,  the  Lord  going 
before  them  in  a  pillar  of  cloud  by  day,  and  fire 
by  night.  Spies  were  sent  to  view  the  land.  They 
returned,  giving  a  glowing  account  of  its  fruitful- 
ness,  but  represented  the  difRcidties  in  conquering 
the  inhabitants  as  insurmountable.  The  people 
murmured,  and  as  a  punishment  God  said  that  that 
«:eneration  should  not  enter  the  land,  but  that  the 


44         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

nation  should  wander  in  the  wilderness  for  forty 
years.  Two  of  the  spies,  Caleb  and  Joshua,  urged 
the  people  to  trust  in  God  and  conquer  the  land. 
For  their  faithfulness,  they  were  exempt  from  the 
general  punishment.  Among  the  incidents  of 
these  years,  the  people  lapsed  into  the  idolatry  of 
Egypt,  worshipping  a  golden  calf,  in  which  Aaron, 
the  brother  of  Moses,  sinned.  When  the  people 
were  bitten  by  snakes,  Moses  lifted  a  brazen  ser- 
pent upon  a  pole,  and  all  looking  at  it  were  healed 
(St.  John  iii.  14,  and  xix.  37). 

The  Conquest 

At  leng*th  the  time  came  for  crossing  the  Jordan 
and  entering  (^anaan.  Joshua  (the  name  is  the 
Hebrew  form  of  Jesus)  led  the  people,  and  after 
the  conquest  divided  the  land  among  the  twelve 
tribes.  But  the  Israelites  did  not  always  serve 
God,  and  He  oppressed  them  by  means  of  the  sur- 
rounding nations.  When  they  repented.  He  raised 
up  judges  to  deliver  them.  ^'Time  would  fail  me 
to  tell  of  Gideon,  and  of  Barak,  and  of  Samson, 
and  of  Jephtha,  of  David  also,  and  Samuel" 
(Heb.  xi.  32). 

The   Kingdom 

But  the  Israelites  longed  to  be  like  the  neighbor- 
ing nations  and  asked  for  a  king,  'Svhen  God  was 
their  King."  He  first  gave  them  Saul,  who  prov- 
ing unworthy,  the  sceptre  was  given  to  David,  of 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  45 

the  tribe  of  Judah,  from  whom  descended  the 
Christ.  David  raised  the  nation  to  its  highest 
leveL  His  son  Solomon  built  the  temple  at  Jeru- 
salem, after  the  pattern  of  the  tabernacle,  only 
richer  and  larger,  and  where  his  father's  Psalms 
formed  the  liturgy  in  worship.  His  exaction  in 
tribute  and  taxes  created  dissatisfaction,  and  under 
his  son,  Rehoboam,  the  kingdom  w^as  divided  into 
two  parts ;  the  ten  tribes  in  the  Xorth,  called  Israel, 
and  Judah  w4th  Benjamin  in  the  South,  having 
Jerusalem  for  its  capital.  To  prevent  the  people 
of  the  Xorth  going  to  the  temple  to  worship,  the 
new  king,  Jeroboam,  of  the  ten  tribes,  made  two 
idolatrous  calves,  which  God  cursed.  Constant 
revolutions  raised  new  dynasties  in  Israel,  but  God 
showed  His  regard  for  David  in  keeping  one  of  his 
family  on  the  throne  of  Judah. 

The  Captivity 

Both  nations  gradually  fell  more  and  more  into 
idolatry,  and  God  sent  various  prophets  to  warn 
them  of  their  sins.  After  a  time  the  ten  tribes 
w^ere  carried  away  into  captivity,  and  the  Samar- 
itans, a  mixed  race,  were  put  in  their  place.  Still 
Judah  did  not  repent,  and  it,  also,  was  removed  to 
Babylon.  Here  for  seventy  years  the  people  were 
exiled  from  the  Holy  Land.  During  these  years, 
Daniel  lived  and  was  promoted  to  high  honor. 
When  Cyrus  came  to  the  throne  of  Persia  and 
Babylon,  he  permitted  the  Jews,  as  they  w^ere  now 


46         THE  CHURCH:\rAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

called,  to  return  to  their  own  land,  and  to  rebuild 
the  temple.  With  an  account  of  the  difficulties  of 
this  work  under  Ezra  and  Xehemiah,  and  the  puri- 
fication of  the  new  commonwealth  through  the 
preaching  of  Malachi,  the  sacred  narrative  closes 
(420  B.  C).  But  we  learn  this  lesson:  God  never 
abandons  His  people,  nor  entirely  destroys  His 
Church.  It  may  need  persecution  to  purify  it, 
but  He  is  ever  present  to  preserve  it. 

The  Jews   Before  Christ 

The  Apocrypha  gives  us  many  facts  concerning 
the  Jews  between  the  close  of  the  Old  Testament 
and  the  opening  of  the  'New.  Their  greatest  trial 
was  during  the  persecution  of  the  Syrian  king, 
Antiochus  Epiphanes.  He  wished  to  destroy  the 
worship  of  God.  When  he  captured  Jerusalem  he 
profaned  the  altar  with  the  sacrifice  of  swine,  and 
polluted  the  Holy  of  Holies  with  filth.  The  Epis- 
tle to  the  Hebrews  refers  to  the  noble  stand  made 
for  the  religion  of  their  fathers.  ''They  were 
stoned,  they  were  sawn  asunder,  were  tempted, 
Avere  slain  with  the  sword ;  they  wandered  about  in 
sheepskins  and  goatskins,  being  destitute,  afflicted, 
tormented"  (Heb.  xi.  37).  God  raised  up  the 
family  of  the  Maccabees,  w^ho  delivered  the  people 
from  their  enemies.  In  the  course  of  years,  the 
Romans  were  called  in  to  settle  certain  disputes  in 
the  nation,  and  Herod  the  Idumean  was  made 
king. 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  47 

The  Preparation  for  the  Gospel 
The  world  in  the  century  preceding  Christ's 
coming  was  groaning  under  a  political  tyranny, 
social  degradation  and  moral  debauchery.  The 
sceptre  had  departed  from  Judah.  The  world  had 
been  doubly  tested.  Heathenism  had  shown  itself 
powerless  to  elevate  man.  Judaism  had  failed. 
Truly  the  fulness  of  time  had  come  when  God 
should  send  forth  His  Son  to  be  ''made  of  a 
woman,  made  under  the  law,"  to  redeem  all  man- 
kind. The  whole  world  acknowledged  Home  as 
mistress.  Greek  language  and  civilization  extended 
everywhere.  The  various  dispersions,  by  Nebuch- 
adnezzar, Alexander,  Antiochus  and  the  Komans. 
had  scattered  the  Jews  in  every  country.  When 
the  apostles  went  preaching  the  Gospel,  the  diffi- 
culties of  travel  were  removed  by  the  universal 
power,  military  roads  and  protection  of  the  Roman 
emperor,  and  the  general  knowledge  of  the  Greek 
tongue.  In  every  city  a  colony  of  Jews  and  a  syna- 
gogue were  found  in  which  first  to  preach  and 
make  converts.  The  time  was  auspicious.  Pilate 
expressed  it  when  he  wrote  the  title  on  the  cross 
in  Hebrew,  Greek,  and  Latin — the  three  languages 
which  made  possible  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
— that  here  huus:  the  ''Desire  of  all  nations"  (Hag. 

ii.  7). 

The  Romans 

Before  taking  up  the  life  of  Christ,  the  closing 
history  of  the  Jews  deserves  notice.     The  Roman 


48         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

nation  was  of  that  grasping  nature  that,  once  ac- 
quiring power,  never  loosened  its  grip.  After 
Herod's  death,  seven  of  his  family  continued  to 
rule,  but  the  Roman  governors  of  Sj^ria  more  and 
more  directed  affairs  at  Jerusalem.  They  retained 
in  their  own  hands  the  power  of  life  and  death, 
but,  as  far  as  consistent,  left  the  Jews  to  regulate 
their  domestic  and  religious  matters.  But  the 
Jews  were  filled  ^vhh.  the  idea  of  a  separate  king- 
dom, which  should  rule  the  world.  Chafing  under 
the  yoke  of  foreigners,  whose  religion  was  to  them 
blasphemy,  they  caused  the  Romans  much  trouble. 
Frequent  revolts  followed,  and  at  last  rebellion  be- 
came general.  Jerusalem  was  destroyed  (A.  D. 
70)  as  our  Lord  foretold,  and  the  people  scattered 
over  the  face  of  the  earth,  sometimes  persecuted, 
sometimes  tolerated,  and  only  recently  obtaining  in 
a  few  countries  complete  freedom  (Dent,  xxviii.). 

The   Nativity 

In  the  days  of  Herod  the  king,  an  angel  was 
sent  from  God  to  a  virgin  named  Mary,  espoused, 
but  not  yet  married,  to  a  good  man  named  Joseph. 
The  angel  told  hor  (Starch  25th)  that  she  had 
found  favor  Avith  God,  and  that  she  should  be  the 
mother  of  the  ^lessiah.  This  Son  would  have  no 
earthly  father,  only  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  should 
overshadow  her.  Thus  He,  who  was  in  the  begin- 
ning, from  everlasting,  by  whom  the  heavens  and 
the  earth  were  made,  took  human  flesh  from  His 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  49 

mother.  Being  perfect  Man  as  Avell  as  perfect 
God,  in  due  course  of  time  after  the  conception, 
He  was  born  in  a  stable  in  Bethlehem  (Dec.  25). 
Shepherds  only  were  told  of  this  great  event  by  a 
multitude  of  angels  singing  the  first  Christmas 
song,  ^^Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth 
peace,  good  will  toward  men."  When  eight  days 
old  (Jan.  1st)  He  "became  obedient  to  the  law" 
and  was  circumcised,  receiving  the  name  of  Jesus, 
which  means  Saviour.  When  forty  days  old  (Feb. 
2nd),  His  mother  went  up  to  the  temple  to  be 
purified,  and  He  was  presented  according  to  cus- 
tom in  His  Father's  house. 

The   Magi 

While  still  at  Bethlehem,  some  wise  men  (Isa. 
Ix.  3)  came  from  the  East,  having  seen  a  mysteri- 
ous "star  out  of  Jacob"  (Xum.  xxiv.  17).  They 
inquired,  "Where  was  He  that  should  be  born  King 
of  the  Jews  ?"  The  rabbis,  examining  the  proph- 
ets, said,  Bethlehem  (Micah  v.  2).  Thither  they 
went,  and  finding  the  young  child,  worshipped 
Him,  giving  Him  gifts,  "gold,  frankincense,  and 
myrrh"  (Ps.  Ixxii.  10,  15),  emblems  of  His  roy- 
alty, priesthood,  and  suffering  humanity.  When 
Herod  heard  that  a  king  was  born,  to  claim  his 
dominion,  he  ordered  all  the  babes  of  Bethlehem 
to  be  killed  (Jer.  xxxi.  15).  But  God  warned 
Joseph  in  a  dream  to  take  the  "young  Child  and 
His  mother  and  flee  into  Egypt"   (Hosea  xi.  1). 


50         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

When  the  danger  was  past  they  returned  to  then- 
own  conntrvj  dwelling  at  Nazareth. 

The  Childhood 

When  Jesus  was  twelve  years  of  age,  His  par- 
ents took  Him  to  Jerusalem  to  the  Passover.  Most 
probably,  according  to  Jewish  custom,  He  was  con- 
firmed, for  He  never  neglected  a  single  religious 
rite.  He  came  not  to  destroy,  but  to  fulfil.  After 
the  feast.  His  parents  started  home,  supposing 
Him  to  be  in  the  caravan.  But,  missing  Him,  they 
returned  to  the  city,  and  found  Him  in  the  temple 
(Hag.  ii.  9),  discussing  the  law  with  the  rabbis. 
All  were  astonished  at  His  Avisdom  and  answers. 
When  His  parents  asked  Him  why  He  had  thus 
tarried.  He  answered,  '^Wist  ye  not  that  I  must 
be  about  My  Father's  business?"  He  returned 
with  them  to  ]N"azareth  and  was  subject  unto  them, 
probably  assisting  His  foster  father  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade. 

His  Preparation 

When  thirty  years  old.  He  heard  how  His 
cousin,  John  the  Baptist,  was  standing  on  the 
banks  of  the  Jordan  preaching  repentance  and 
baptizing.  Jesus  went  up  and  was  baptized,  at 
which  time  God  manifested  forth  to  the  people 
who  He  was.  The  Spirit,  like  a  dove,  descended 
upon  Him,  a  voice  from  heaven  declared,  ''This 
is  My  beloved  Son."     He  w^as  then  led  by  the 


THE   STORY  OF  THE  BIBLE  51 

Spirit  into  the  wilderness,  where  He  fasted  forty 
days  (Ex.  xxxiv.  28),  and  w^here  the  Devil's 
temptations  were  resisted. 

His  Ministry 

Thus  prepared  for  His  ministry,  He  com- 
menced its  duties.  For  three  years  He  preached 
and  performed  miracles,  healing  the  sick,  giving 
sight  to  the  blind,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  and  raising 
the  dead  (Isa.  xxxv.  5,  6).  He  selected  twelve 
apostles  to  be  the  chief  officers  of  His  Church. 
Among  these  w^re  St.  Peter,  who  denied  Him,  St. 
Andrew,  the  first  called,  St.  James  and  St.  John, 
sons  of  Zebedee,  all  fisherman,  and  "Judas  Iscariot 
who  also  betrayed  Him."  His  preaching  was  dif- 
ferent from  what  the  world  had  ever  heard.  He 
taught  a  higher  standard  of  life,  showing  how 
every  act  depends  upon  the  intention,  as  well  as 
the  means  used.  His  sermons  were  simple,  filled 
with  illustrations  dra^\Ti  from  everyday  life,  and 
often  taking  the  form  of  parables  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  2). 

Opposition 

At  first  the  people  gathered  around  Him,  think- 
ing that  He  would  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel. 
But  when  they  found  His  kingdom  was  spiritual, 
not  worldly,  to  be  extended  by  love,  not  by  force, 
they  w^ere  disappointed.  The  rulers  were  arrayed 
against  Him,  because  He  exposed  their  hypocrisy, 
their  superstitious  reverence  for  human  tradition. 


52         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

and  regard  for  the  letter,  rather  than  the  spirit,  of 
the  law.  Their  enmity  increasing,  it  was  deter- 
mined to  put  Him  to  death.  His  wisdom  they 
could  not  gainsay,  nor  could  they  find  any  just 
accusation  against  Him.  He,  knowing  that  His 
time  had  come,  set  His  face  steadfastly  to  go  up 
to  Jerusalem. 

Holy  Week 

Upon  Palm  Sunday,  the  day  the  Paschal  lambs 
were  driven  into  the  city  and  selected  for  the  feast, 
He  made  His  triumj^hal  entry,  all  the  people  cry- 
ing, ^'Hosanna  to  the  Son  of  David !"  waving  palm 
branches  in  their  hands,  and  strewing  the  road 
with  them  in  His  honor.  A  few  days  after,  the 
same  multitude  cried,  ^^Crucify  Him !"  Upon  the 
Paschal  night,  He  sat  do^\Ti  with  the  twelve,  first 
Avashing  their  feet  as  an  example  of  humility,  then 
instituting  His  Sacrament.  Going  out  into  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemane,  and  praying  in  an  agony 
too  deep  to  find  full  utterance.  He  was  sought  out 
by  the  traitor  Judas,  who  treacherously  kissed 
liim  (Ps.  xli.  9,  and  Iv.  13,  14),  and  delivered 
Him  to  a  band  of  soldiers.  He  had  a  mock  trial 
before  Caiaphas,  Herod  and  Pilate.  At  length  He 
was  delivered  to  be  scourged,  spit  upon,  buffeted, 
crowned  with  thorns  (Ps.  xxii.),  and  then  made  to 
carry  His  cross  to  Mount  Calvary.  Here  He  was 
crucified  between  two  thieves,  one  of  whom  re- 
pented, and  the  djdng  Saviour's  last  act  was  prom- 


THE   STORY  OF  THE' BIBLE  53 

isiug  liim  Paradise,  and  His  last  prayer  was  fur 
the  iiicii  who  crucified  Him.  His  death  occurred 
at  the  very  hour  the  Paschal  lamb  was  slain.  • 

The   Resurrection 

His  body  after  death  was  delivered  to  a  devout 
man,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  who  laid  it  in  a  new 
tomb  (Isa.  liii.  3-9).  This  was  on  Good  Friday. 
Saturday,  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  Jesus  rested  in  the 
grave.  On  Easter,  the  day  the  firstfruits  of  the 
harvest  were  presented  in  the  temple.  He  who  was 
the  firstfruits  of  them  that  slept  (I.  Cor.  xv.  20) 
rose  from  the  dead.  This  Avas  the  third  day  (Hos. 
vi.  2,  and  Ps.  xvi.  10).  He  appeared  first  to 
^IsiYY  ^Magdalene.  In  all  there  are  ten  recorded 
appearances  of  our  Lord  after  His  Resurrection. 
He  was  with  them  forty  days,  during  which  time 
He  gave  rules  concerning  His  Church  or  kingdom. 
He  commanded  them  to  baptize  all  nations,  to 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature,  to  declare  to 
the  people  the  forgiveness  of  their  sins.  He  prom- 
ised to  be  with  them  to  the  end  of  the  world,  and 
then  ascended  to  heaven.  Two  angels  appeared  to 
the  eleven  apostles  watching  His  ascension,  and 
promised  that  He  would  come  again. 

The  Apostles 

The  apostles  then  retired  to  Jerusalem  to  w^ait 
for  the  Holy  Ghost  the  Comforter,  promised  to 
them,   and  who  Avas  to  lead  them  into  all  truth. 


54        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

First  they  selected  St.  Matthias  to  take  the  place  of 
Judas,  ^Svho  by  transgression  fell."  When  the 
day  of  Pentecost  (50  days)  had  fully  come,  ^^the 
Spirit  descended  upon  them,  in  cloven  tongues  like 
as  of  fire."  It  gave  them  miraculous  gifts  (Ps. 
Ixviii.  18)  which  attracted  the  multitude,  gave 
Peter  and  the  rest  of  the  apostles  an  opportunity 
to  preach,  to  convert  and  to  baptize  five  thousand 
souls.  From  this  time  the  Church  grew  and  spread 
over  the  earth. 

St.  Paul 

St.  Paul  or  Saul  Avas  the  leader  in  the  persecu- 
tion against  the  Church,  by  which  Satan  endeav- 
ored to  destroy  it.  On  one  occasion,  when  he  was 
travelling  to  Damascus,  to  arrest  any  Christians 
he  might  find,  our  Lord  appeared  to  him,  and  then 
occurred  that  wonderful  conversion  of  him  who 
was  to  be  the  apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  The  first 
Gentile  convert  was  Cornelius,  baptized  by  St. 
Peter.  This  introduced  a  great  question  into  the 
Church.  Should  the  Gentile  converts  be  circum- 
cised ?  Up  to  this  time,  the  Jewish  Christians  had 
observed  the  law  of  Moses.  It  was  decided  at  the 
first  counsel  of  the  Church  that  the  Mosaic  ritual 
was  not  binding,  since  Christ  had  fulfilled  its  re- 
quirements. Until  the  destruction  of  the  Holy 
City,  the  great  majority  of  Hebrew  Christians 
continued  its  observance.  The  Acts  of  the  Apostles 
closes  with  St.  Paul's  imprisonment  in  Pome,  after 


THE   STORY  OF  THE   BIBLE  55 

he  had  evangelized  Western  Asia  and  Greece. 
From  the  numerous  Epistles  he  Avrote,  we  gather 
the  doctrine  and  practices  of  the  early  Church. 
How  that  Church  has  progressed  and  has  come 
dowTi  to  us,  will  be  traced  in  another  chapter.  The 
Canon  of  the  ^ew  Testament  closes  with  the  vision 
or  revelation  to  St.  John,  usually  called  the 
Apocalypse. 

Chronological  Table  of  Biblical  Events 

These  dates  follow  Ussher  as  being  the  gener- 
ally accepted  authority  on  the  subject. 

B.C. 

1921— The  Call  of  Abraham. 
1491— The  Exodus. 
1004 — Solomon's  Temple. 
760 — Isaiah,  the  prophet. 
606 — Beginning  of  the  Captivity. 
536 — Return  of  the  captives  by  Cyrus. 
424 — Samaritan  temple  on  Mt.  Gerizim. 
420 — Malaehi,  the  last  of  the  prophets. 
283— The  Septuagint  Translation. 
168-141 — Maccabees  and  Antiochus. 
37 — Herod,  the  king. 
4 — Jesus  born. 
A.D. 

29— The  Crucifixion. 
37— Conversion  of  St.  Paul. 
65— Martyrdom  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 
70 — Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
100— Death  of  St.  John. 

The  Bible  history  is  most  excellently  given  in 
Maclear's  Old  Testament  and  New  Testament  His- 
tories, complete  and  abridged  editions.     They  are 


56         THE  CHURCH]\IAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

now  inexpensive.  A  Short  Introduction  to  the 
Literature  of  the  Otd  Testament,  by  G.  H.  Box, 
The  Hehrew  Prophets,  by  Kev.  E.  L.  Ottley,  and 
The  Teaching  of  Our  Lord,  by  Rev.  Leighton 
Pnllan,  three  little  volumes  in  the  series  of  Oxford 
Church  Text  Books,  at  35  cents  each,  are  excellent 
books  for  popular  reading  on  those  subjects. 


CHAPTEE  IV 

THE  THEOLOGY  OF  THE   BIBLE 

THE  Bible  is  not  a  treatise  on  systematic  divin- 
ity. It  does  not  classify,  divide,  and  treat  in 
detail  our  knowledge  of  God.  The  botanist,  study- 
ing plants,  must  arrange  them  in  classes,  and  take 
each  part  of  the  plant,  the  petals,  stamens,  leaves 
and  stems,  to  examine  and  compare.  This  is  sci- 
ence. Yet  many  persons  have  a  knowledge  of  the 
vegetable  world,  with  but  very  little  capacity  to 
classify  plants,  or  describe  them.  So  it  is  with 
theology,  the  science  which  treats  of  God.  It  is 
the  ^^queen  of  sciences."  Its  subject  is  infinite. 
Few  can  acquire  more  than  an  outline  of  its  im- 
mensity. He  who  know^s  nothing  of  the  science, 
and  does  the  will  of  God,  Christ  says,  shall  know 
the  doctrine  (St.  John  vii.  17),  and  is  like  a  gar- 
dener cultivating  plants  for  use  and  beauty. 

The  Source  of  Theology 

The  only  possible  source  from  which  to  study 
theology  must  be  God,  Himself.  Without  revela- 
tion from  Him  all  must  be  conjectural.    The  great- 


58         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

est  philosophers  seemed  to  have  come  very  near  the 
truth,  but  they  were  still  in  doubt.  As  the  Bible 
is  the  revealed  word  of  God,  it  is  the  text-book 
from  which  we  must  gather  our  knowledge,  ar- 
range and  classify  its  revelations.  More  books 
have  been  written  to  illustrate  and  explain  this  one, 
than  on  any  other  in  the  world.  They  consist  of 
commentaries,  histories,  dictionaries,  and  transla- 
tions. How  this  coincides  with  what  St.  John 
says!  (St.  John  xxi.  25.)  The  world  itself  can- 
not contain  the  books  that  might  be  written. 

Reason 

'Man  has  been  separated  from  the  lower  animals 
by  calling  him  a  reasonable  being.  The  word  man 
comes  from  a  root  which  means  to  think.  Reason 
is  a  divine  gift,  to  be  used  in  searching  after  the 
things  which  pertain  to  God.  We  are  not  asked 
by  revelation  to  believe  anything  contrary  to 
reason,  although  new  fields  of  knowledge  are 
opened  up,  where  unassisted  man  could  not  assay, 
and  things  are  propounded  beyond  our  reason. 
This  calls  into  exercise  a  higher  gift,  the  sixth 
sense,  that  of  faith,  which  is  able  to  soar  into 
realms  higher  than  is  otherwise  possible,  for  ^'the 
natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God"  (I.  Cor.  ii.  14).  It  is  reason  which  en- 
ables us  to  determine  the  truth  of  revelation  com- 
ing from  God,  while  it  belongs  to  faith  to  accept 
w^hat  that  revelation  tells  us.     Reason  determines 


THE  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  BIBLE  59 

the  Canon  of  Scripture,  and  rejects  the  Koran  of 
Mahomet.  Faith  accepts  the  doctrine  of  the  Incar- 
nation, and  rejects  the  notion  that  death  ends  all. 

Tradition 

Tradition  is  that  which  has  been  handed  do^Yn 
from  one  to  another.  St.  Paul  refers  to  it  in 
several  places.  He  wrote  to  Timothy,  ^'The  things 
that  thou  hast  heard  of  me  among  many  witnesses, 
the  same  commit  thou  to  faithful  men,  who  shall 
be  able  to  teach  others  also"  (II.  Tim.  ii.  2).  He 
tells  the  Thessalonians,  '^Brethren,  stand  fast  and 
hold  the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught, 
whether  by  word  or  our  epistle"  (II.  Thess.  ii.  15). 
At  first  the  entire  faith  and  practice  of  the  Church 
depended  upon  oral  transmission.  The  books  of 
the  ^ew  Testament  were  not  written  for  some 
thirty  years  after  the  Church  was  foimded  and 
extended.  Even  after  that,  considerable  time 
elapsed  before  they  were  gathered  into  one  whole, 
because  they  were  written,  some  to  a  single  individ- 
ual, some  to  a  particular  Church,  and  thus  did  not 
at  first  get  into  general  circulation. 

The   Use  of  Tradition 

Many  of  our  Lord's  acts,  not  recorded  in  the 
Gospels,  were  for  some  time  preserved  in  the  mem- 
ory of  the  disciples.  We  have  an  instance  in  Acts 
XX.  35.  But  there  must  always  be  difficulty  in 
founding  any  matter  of  faith  upon  tradition  only. 


60         THE  CHURCHMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

It  is  SO  liable  to  change  that  it  needs  corroborative 
evidence.  Yet  it  is  very  useful.  Upon  it,  and  not 
upon  any  direct  word  of  Scripture,  we  keep  the 
first  day  of  the  week  as  the  Lord's  Day.  By 
tradition  we  can  interpret  many  passages  of  the 
Bible.  The  value  of  tradition  in  the  Church  is 
the  same  as  that  of  common  law  in  society,  Avhich 
depends  not  upon  legal  enactments  but  upon  es- 
tablished usages.  While  nothing  is  binding  upon 
the  Church  as  of  faith  unless  it  can  be  proved 
from  Holy  Scripture,  yet  we  can  see  the  impor- 
tance of  attending  to  those  customs  and  well- 
defined  opinions  which  grew  up  with  the  Canon 
of  the  Xew  Testament,  and  in  harmony  with  its 
spirit  and  letter. 

Of  God 

'•There  is  one  living  and  true  God,  everlasting, 
Avithout  body,  parts  or  passions;  of  an  infinite 
power,  wisdom  and  goodness;  the  Maker  and  Pre- 
server of  all  things  visible  and  invisible."  Anthro- 
pomorphism— the  child  conception  of  God — thinks 
of  Him  as  a  God  with  parts  and  passions,  like 
a  man.  This  is  the  lowest  estimate  of  His  Being, 
and  prevails  among  savage  tribes.  The  Bible  often 
condescends  to  man's  finite  mind,  and  speaks  of 
God's  face,  or  His  arm  being  bare,  of  His  anger 
or  repentance.  But  this  language  is  not  to  be 
understood  literally.  It  is  the  only  way  to  make 
the  Infinite  in  some  degree  intelligible  to  the  finite. 


THE  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  BIBLE  61 

Wo  are  told  that  God  is  a  spirit  (St.  John  iv.  24:) 
and  cannot  be  likened  to  anything  npon  earth  (Isa. 
xl.  8),  nor  can  we  make  any  similitude  of  Him 
(Dent.  iv.  15).  He  cannot  change  (Mai.  iii.  16). 
He  is  invariable,  with  no  shadow  of  turning  (St. 
James  i.  17). 

The  pantheist  believes  God  is  everything,  and 
everything  is  God.  This  is  different  from  saying 
God  is  everywhere  present.  It  implies  an  imper- 
sonal God.  The  notion  prevails  in  India.  Her 
civilization  tells  what  it  does  for  man.  In  opposi- 
tion to  this  the  Bible  teaches  that  God  is  the  great 
I  AM,  that  He  is  the  living  and  true  One.  The 
polytheist  is  contradicted  by  such  phrases  as  ^'The 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord"  (Dent.  vi.  4)  ;  ''There 
is  one  Lord,  and  there  is  none  other  but  He"  (St. 
Mark  xii.  32).  Christianity  teaches  us  three  mys- 
teries about  God,  which  man  could  not  find  out 
by  studying  nature.  Thej  are,  (1)  The  Trinity, 
(2)  The  Incarnation,  (3)  The  Redemption  or 
Atonement. 

The    Trinity 

There  is  only  One  God,  but  Christians  are 
taught  to  believe  that  Three  Persons  exist  in  this 
Godhead :  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  Each  of 
these  is  God,  yet  there  are  not  three  Gods,  but  One. 
Intimations  are  found  in  the  Old  Testament.  "Let 
Us  make  man  in  Our  own  image"  (Gen.  i.  2(5). 
''Holy,  Holy,  Holy  is  the  Lord"  (Isa.  vi.  3).     In 


62         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  i^ew  Testament  the  doctrine  is  made  plain. 
"The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  love 
of  God,  and  the  fellowship  of  the  Holy  Ghost" 
(II.  Cor.  xiii.  14).  ''Baptize  them  in  the  Name 
of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost"  (St.  Matt,  xxviii.  19)!  ''Through  Him 
(Jesus  Christ)  we  both  have  access  by  one  Spirit 
unto  the  Father"  (Eph.  ii.  18).  At  the  baptism 
of  Christ,  the  Son,  the  Spirit  in  the  form  of  a 
dove,  and  the  voice  of  the  Father  were  present. 
From  various  passages  of  Scripture  it  can  be  shown 
that  all  Three  Persons  of  the  Godhead  are  "of  one 
substance,  power,  and  eternity."  Illustrations  of 
this  doctrine  cannot  easily  be  found,  because  the 
Infinite  cannot  be  illustrated  by  the  finite.  St. 
Patrick  used  a  three-leaf  clover.  In  symbolism  a 
triangle  is  dra^vn.  Others  speak  of  fire,  with  its 
flame,  light,  and  heat. 

The  Incarnation 

The  word  Incarnate  means  assuming  flesh,  and 
as  applied  to  our  Lord,  is  expressed  in  the  lan- 
guage of  St.  John,  "The  word  was  made  flesh  and 
dwelt  among  us"  (St.  John  i.  14).  He  is  both 
God  and  man,  "Immanuel,  God  with  us."  "There 
is  one  Mediator  between  God  and  man,  the  man 
Christ  Jesus"  (I.  Tim.  ii.  5).  He  was  as  man 
"tempted  like  as  we  are,  yet  without  sin,"  and 
"is  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities." 
His  human  name  was  Jesus,  for  "He  shall  save 


THE  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  BIBLE  63 

His  people  from  their  sins."  This  is  the  Xame 
'Svhich  is  above  every  name."  It  is  the  same  as 
Joshua.  He  is  the  ''Captain  of  our  salvation," 
who  leads  us  into  the  heavenly  Canaan.  All  other 
names  given  Him  are  titles.  He  is  called  Christ, 
the  Anointed  One,  and  as  He  anoints  us  we  are 
Christians.  He  is  our  Prophet  like  Moses,  Priest 
like  Aaron,  King  like  David. 

The  Person  of  Christ 

There  is  only  one  Person  in  Christ,  with  two 
natures,  human  and  divine.  He  is  perfect  God 
and  perfect  Man.  It  was  the  denial  of  either  of 
these  perfections  which  dragged  sections  of  the 
early  Church  into  heresy.  The  Babe  that  lay  in 
the  manger  was  the  Son  of  Mary.  He  who  re- 
ceived adoration  from  the  shepherds  and  wise  men 
was  also  the  Son  of  God.  Both  were  the  same 
Person.  There  are  four  phrases  which  theologically 
describe  the  Christ:  1.  He  is  fruhj  God;  2.  Perfect 
Man;  3.  United  in  one  Person;  4.  in  which  are 
two  natures  never  to  he  separated.  And  these 
express  the  results  of  the  first  four  General  Coun- 
cils of  the  Church  (see  pp.  90-91),  namely,  N'ice 
(A.  D.  325),  Constantinople  (A.  D.  381),  Ephe- 
sus  (A.  D.  431),  and  Chalcedon  (A.  D.  451). 
The  Incarnation  shows  how  God  and  man  are 
reconciled,  the  human  and  divine  united.  From 
it  flow  the  blessings  of  spiritual  life.  To  extend 
it  to  us,  the  Church  was  instituted.     It  is  Christ's 


Gl         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

body,  and  in  it  we  are  nnited  to  Him.  He  feeds 
lis  npon  it  in  the  Holy  Communion,  His  Body 
and  Blood;  and  Baptism  introduces  us  into  Him, 
for  ''Baptism  is  a  putting  on  of  Christ"  (Gal.  iii. 
27).  The  Incarnation  makes  Christ's  miracles 
and  resurrection  a  necessary  consequence.  The 
miracle  would  have  been  for  Him  not  to  have  per- 
fonned  His  wonderful  Avorks. 

The  Redemption  or  Atonement 

This  is  the  third  Christian  mystery.  Man  was 
placed  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  innocent,  but  by 
disobedience  he  fell,  lost  the  image  of  God,  and 
became  hostile  to  God.  He  thus  lost  Paradise. 
We  are  all  involved  in  this  fall.  ''By  one  man  sin 
entered  into  the  Avorld,  and  death  by  sin"  (Rom. 
V.  12).  The  nature  we  inherit  from  his  is  sinful, 
because  we  are  made  in  his  image  after  his  fall. 
We  are  children  of  wrath  and  of  the  old  Adam. 
To  redeem  us  from  the  power  of  Satan,  who 
tempted  our  first  parents,  and  to  make  atonement 
for  all  sin,  Christ  died  for  us.  He  thus  restored 
God's  image,  cleanses  us  from  sin  and  regained  for 
man  Paradise  by  "opening  to  us  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  ^N'one  but  Christ  could  do  this.  The 
price  to  be  paid  was  immeasurable.  Only  God 
Himself  could  represent  its  value.  The  Person 
undertaking  the  work  was  necessarily  sinless,  and 
undefiled,  not  by  His  resistance  to  temptation,  but 
in  His  very  birth.     Hence  His  mother  was  a  pure 


THE  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  BICLE  Go 

virgin.  Lastly,  to  restore  us  to  Paradise,  He  must 
pass  the  portals  of  death  and  conquer  the  powers  of 
the  grave.  This  is  what  the  Scripture  means  when 
it  says,  ^^We  are  bought  with  a  price."  ''The  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin."  "He 
died  for  our  sins  aud  rose  again  for  our  justifica- 
:he  Resurrection  and 

Communion   with   God 

Communion  with  God,  of  which  man  was  de- 
prived by  the  fall  of  Adam,  is  in  Christ,  the  last 
Adam,  restored.  That  man  may  enjoy  this  the 
better,  and  have  assurance  of  its  existence,  God  has 
appointed  sacred  times,  sacred  places,  sacred 
things  and  sacred  persons,  to  serve  like  Jacob's 
ladder  and  reach  from  earth  to  heaven.  One  day 
in  seven  is  called  the  Lord's  Day.  Li  harmony 
with  the  Mosaic  system,  the  Church  has  her  year 
divided  into  seasons,  and  commemorates  important 
events,  as  on  Christmas  and  Easter.  All  over  the 
world  temples  arise,  as  the  places  where  we  are 
"not  to  neglect  the  assembling  of  ourselves  to- 
gether," and  where  God  has  "placed  His  Xame." 
It  is  the  "house  of  prayer  for  all  people."  Certain 
elements  are  selected  from  everyday  use  (water, 
bread  and  wine)  to  be  visible  signs  of  spiritual 
grace.  Lastly,  to  conduct  the  services  on  holy 
days,  in  holy  places,  and  administer  holy  sacra- 
ments, the  "sacred  ministry"  is  appointed,  to 
preach  forgiveness  and  reconcile  man  to  God.     He 


66        THE  CHURCmiAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

who  deprives  himself  of  the  use  of  these  things 
lacks  the  best  forms  of  spiritual  life,  and  endangers 
communion  with  God  in  eternity,  that  is,  his  sal- 
vation. 


CHAPTER  V 

WHAT    IS   THE   CHURCH? 
The  Object  of  the  Church 

THE  object  of  the  Chiircli  is  to  be  Christ's  rep- 
resentative on  earth,  to  carry  on  the  mission 
He  inaugurated,  and  to  gather  His  disciples  into 
one  fold.  It  is  called  His  Body  (Col.  i.  24).  He 
is  the  Head,  we  are  the  members.  He  spoke  of 
His  body  as  being  a  temple,  and  so  is  the  Church, 
"built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apostles  and 
prophets,  Jesus  Christ  Himself  being  the  chief 
corner  stone"  (Eph.  ii.  20).  Human  souls  are 
brought  into  it,  as  stones  from  the  quarry  of  the 
race.  They  "as  lively  stones  are  built  up  a  spirit- 
ual house"  (1.  Pet.  ii.  5).  Many  figures  of 
speech  can  be  mentioned  which  recall  this  idea. 
Leaders  in  the  Church  are  called  "pillars"  (Gal. 
ii.  9:  Rev.  iii.  12).  Our  daughters  are  "polished 
corners"  (Ps.  cxliv.  12).  The  Church  is  the  very 
opposite  of  the  Tower  of  Babel.  There,  men 
defied  God  and  were  scattered,  and  their  speech 
confounded.  Here,  on  the  Day  of  Pentecost,  the 
disciples  "were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place," 


GS         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

and  ^^every  man  heard  in  his  own  tongne  the  won- 
derful works  of  God."  The  threefold  objects  of 
the  Church  may  be  concisely  expressed  thus : 
She  is 

1.  The  sphere  of  grace  where  valid  sacraments 
are  administered. 

2.  The  home  of  truth  (I.  Tim.  iii.  15)  where 
the  faith  is  preserved  and  taught  in  its  entirety 
(St.  John  xiv.  26;  xvi,  13). 

3.  The  ark  of  safety  (Acts  ii.  47). 

Christ's  Kingdom 

The  Church  is  Christ's  Kingdom.  What  that 
Kingdom  is  we  know^  from  His  constant  reference 
to  it  in  His  teaching.  During  the  forty  days 
between  His  Resurrection  and  Ascension,  He 
spoke  of  the  things  pertaining  to  it  (Acts  i.  3). 
It  is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  w^hich  has  be- 
come a  great  tree,  small  in  its  origin,  but  after- 
wards men  of  the  world  obtain  benefits  under  its 
shadow.  It  is  a  net  let  down  into  the  sea  of  Bap- 
tism, to  gather  fish  of  all  kinds.  So  the  Church 
contains  good  and  bad,  but  at  the  Judgment  Day  a 
separation  w^ill  be  made.  Of  it  the  prophecy  says, 
''Kings  shall  be  thy  nursing  fathers  and  queens  thy 
nursing  mothers"  (Isa.  xlix.  23).  This  kingdom 
is  to  make  God's  law  supreme,  not  by  violence,  but 
by  love.  The  improvement  in  morals  between  the 
present  and  first  century  shows  how  the  mission  is 
being  accomplished. 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  69 

A  Household  of  Saints 

The  Church  is  to  be  a  society  of  those  called  to 
be  saints,  and  those  honestly  striving  to  be  saints, 
where  they  can  live  in  mutual  dependence,  and 
have  a  foretaste  of  heavenly  worship.  Christ 
dwells  in  their  midst.  His  presence  will  prevent 
the  gates  of  hell  ever  prevailing  against  her. 
Neither  infidelity,  nor  lukewarmness,  nor  divi- 
sions can  overthrow  her.  They  may  hurt  her. 
but  she  stands  with  the  same  ''faith  once  de- 
livered," the  same  sacraments,  the  same  mode 
of  transmitting  the  ministry.  She  has  witnessed 
infidelity  change  armor  a  hundred  times.  She 
has  watched  the  rise  and  fall  of  those  who  have 
separated  from  her.  She  has  seen  good  men,  lov- 
ing her  Master,  mistakenly  labor  outside  of  her 
fold  for  systems  that  flourish  and  die.  On  she 
moves,  until,  at  length  ''the  kingdoms  of  this  world 
are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  His 
Christ." 

Christ's  Mystical  Body 

This  society  is  not  of  human  origin,  nor  human 
sustenance.  It  is  incomparably  superior  to  any 
lodge,  however  ancient.  It  is  Christ's  Body.  In 
it  dwells  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  it  we  become  mem- 
bers of  Him,  "of  His  flesh  and  of  His  bones"  (Eph. 
V.  30.)  This  fact  is  emphasized  in  several  ways. 
We  build  many  of  our  houses  of  worship  cruciform, 
the  position  of  His  body  when  He  died.   We  adorn 


70         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

them  with  our  wealth,  and  beautify  them  with  art. 
as  Marj  anointed  His  body  with  precious  ointment, 
when  He  rebuked  them  who  called  it  a  waste.  The 
Church  endeavors  to  commemorate  His  life.  She 
rejoices  at  His  birth,  fasts  forty  days  during  her 
Lent  as  He  fasted.  She  mourns,  because  our  sins 
caused  His  death  on  Good  Friday,  and  sings  alle- 
luias on  Easter  Day,  the  anniversarj'  of  His  Resur- 
rection. We  call  ourselves  by  His  Xame.  We 
are  Christians. 

The   Church   Building 

The  church  building  is  more  than  a  meeting- 
house. Christ's  indwelling  presence  gives  it  its 
value.  In  it  we  confess  our  sins,  to  humble  our- 
selves in  the  presence  of  His  purity.  In  it  we 
offer  prayer  for  new  grace.  In  it  we  hear  His  word 
read  and  j)reached.  In  it  we  offer  up  our  praises 
and  give  thanks  (Eucharists)  with  the  elements 
He  appointed.  True,  these  things  can  be  done  in 
any  place,  in  our  private  houses  or  under  the  open 
sky,  but  not  so  reverently;  and  it  is  best  to  have 
appointed  places  suitably  arranged,  where  the 
faithful  can  resort,  and  ^^all  things  be  done  decent- 
ly and  in  order."  At  first  the  disciples  met  in  an 
upper  room ;  afterwards,  when  numbers  increased, 
and  persecutions  were  stopped,  large,  magnificent 
temples  were  erected.  These  became  ^'Houses  of 
Prayer  for  all  people,"  ^^the  House  of  God  and  the 
gate  of  heaven."     The  word  Church  means  the 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  71 

Lord's  House.  The  '^groTind  whereon  it  stands  is 
holy.''  Solomon  has  given  this  direction,  "Keep 
thy  foot  when  thou  goest  to  the  House  of  God,  and 
be  more  ready  to  hear,  than  to  give  the  sacrifice  of 
fools"  (Eccles.  V.  1)  (see  page  275). 

Characteristics  of  the  Church 

Acts  ii.  42  describes  the  early  Church,  and  what 
it  should  be  in  all  ages.  The  disciples  continued 
in  the  apostles'  (1)  Doctrine,  (2)  Fellowship,  (3) 
Breaking  Bread,  (4)  and  in  the  Prayers;  that  is 
the  (1)  Theological,  (2)  Sacerdotal,''  (3)  Sacra- 
mental, (4)  Liturgical,  aspects  of  the  Church,  out- 
wardly manifested  by  her  (1)  Creed,  (2)  Min- 
istry, (3)  Sacraments,  (4)  Worship.  Bible  Chris- 
tians in  those  days  never  thought  of  not  believing 
what  the  apostles  taught,  not  placing  themselves 
under  the  Apostolic  Ministry,  not  regularly  re- 
ceiving the  Communion,  and  not  joining  in  the 
Church's  worship.  In  the  Creeds,  four  character- 
istics of  the  Church  are  given.  She  is  "One, 
Holy,  Catholic,  and  Apostolic." 

The  Church  is  One 

There  is  but  one  Christ,  with  two  natures, 
human  and  divine;  so  the  Church  has  His  divine 
presence,  and  is  composed  of  hmnan  souls.  It  is 
visible  and  invisible;  militant  here  on  earth,  tri- 
umphant in  heaven.  Christ  before  His  death 
prayed  for  the  unity  of  the  Church.     St.  Paul  ex- 


72         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

horts  the  Corinthians  to  maintain  it.  It  is  the 
ideal  which  runs  through  the  ^ew  Testament.  To 
divide  the  Church  is  to  create  a  schism.  This 
has  been  compared  to  dividing  the  seamless  coat  of 
Christ,  a  figure  used  to  foretell  the  divisions  of 
Israel  from  Judah.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephes- 
ians  (iv.  3-6)  there  is  a  statement  which  may  be 
thus  paraphrased : 

There  is  one  Body;  that  is  unity  of  organiza- 
tion. 

There  is  one  Spirit;  that  is  unity  of  love  and 
power. 

There  is  one  Lord ;  that  is  unity  of  headship. 

There  is  one  Faith ;  that  is  unity  of  belief. 

There  is  one  Baptism;  that  is  unity  of  sacra- 
ments. 

There  is  one  God  and  Father  of  all ;  that  is  the 
unity  of  life  and  sustenance. 

There  is  one  hope  of  your  calling;  that  is  the 
unity  of  fruition. 

The  Church   is  Holy 

The  Church  is  holy  because  Christ  is  holy.  He 
is  the  ''Holy  One  of  Israel."  Though  unholy  mem- 
bers may  belong  to  her,  yet  as  Christ  is  so  is  she 
(Hom.  xi.  16).  We  are  a  holy  people,  like  Israel 
of  old  (I.  Pet.  ii.  9;  Jere.  ii.  3),  fed  with  holy 
bread,  possess  a  ''holy  faith,"  offer  holy  worship, 
by  a  holy  priesthood,  walking  in  a  holy  manner,  for 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  73 

"without   holiness,    no   man   shall   see   the   Lord" 
(Heb.  xii.  14). 

The  Church  is  Catholic 

The  Church  is  Catholic,  that  is,  universal  as  to 
time,  place,  and  persons.  It  is  not  composed  of  a 
particular  nation,  as  the  Jewish  Church  was.  It 
is  composed  of  Jew  and  Gentile.  The  Lord's  house 
is  a  "House  of  Prayer  for  all  people."  The  com- 
mand w^as,  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature."  ''Teach  all  nations." 
The  Church  Triumphant  is  composed  of  all  "na- 
tions and  kindreds  and  peoples  and  tongues."  A 
Catholic  doctrine  is  one  which  has  been  held  from 
the  beginning  in  all  places  by  all  the  faithful.  An 
ancient  writer  says,  "Christian  is  my  name,  Cath- 
olic is  my  surname ;  by  the  former  I  am  called,  by 
the  latter  distinguished."  To  limit  the  title  Cath- 
olic to  Romanists,  concedes  their  claims.  They  are 
part  of  the  Catholic  Church,  but  a  corrupt  part, 
and  should  always  be  designated  as  Roman  Catho- 
lics. Their  legal  title,  and  the  one  used  in  their 
o^vn  formal  ecclesiastical  documents,  is  "The  Holy 
Roman  Church."  Every  loyal  member  of  the 
Anglican  Communion  is  a  Catholic,  since  he  pro- 
fesses belief  in  the  Catholic  Church  every  time  he 
recites  the  Creed. 

The  Church  is  Apostolic 
The  Church  rests  upon  the  foundation  of  the 
apostles  (Eph.  ii.  20).     Any  society  which  cannot 


74         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

trace  its  history,  doctrine,  and  practices  back  to 
apostolic  days  cannot  be  the  Church,  It  starts  too 
late  for  that.  Any  doctrine  not  taught  by  the 
apostles  is  not  necessary  to  salvation.  Matters  of 
discipline  may  change,  ceremonies  may  change,  pro- 
vided the  spirit  of  the  apostles  is  preserved. 

Types  of  the  Church 

The  Old  Testament  abounds  in  types  of  the  vis- 
ible Church  and  its  functions.  Eve  is  a  type.  She 
was  the  spouse  of  the  first  Adam.  While  he  was  in 
a  deep  sleep,  she  was  born  from  his  side.  While 
He  was  in  the  sleep  of  death,  the  Church  sprang 
out  of  the  pierced  side  of  Christ,  from  which 
came  ^'blood  and  water,"  emblems  of  the  two  great 
sacraments.  Eve  was  the  mother  of  all  living 
(Gen.  iii.  20).  So  the  Church  in  conjunction  with 
the  last  Adam  brings  forth  children  for  salvation. 
St.  Cyprian  said,  "]N^o  one  can  have  Christ  for  his 
Father  w^ho  has  not  the  Church  for  his  mother'' 
(Eph.  V.  22-32).  She  is  like  Jerusalem  ^Svhich  is 
above,  which  is  the  Mother  of  us  all"  (Gal.  iv.  26). 
We  are  born  to  the  Church  in  Baptism,  and  thus 
brought  into  contact  with  Christ  (Gal.  iii.  27). 
This  is  the  birth  by  "water  and  the  Spirit"  (St. 
John  iii.  5). 

The  Ark 

The  ark  is  a  type  of  the  Church,  in  which  the 
faithful  are  saved  from  wrath,  while  it  floats  on 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  75 

the  waters  of  Baptism  (I.  Peter  iii.  20,  21). 
The  house  of  Rahab  is  a  type;  the  scarlet  string 
hung  from  her  window  indicated  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  All  in  the  house  were  saved,  w^hen  the 
wicked  city,  Jericho,  a  type  of  this  w^orld,  was 
destroyed.  Xow  the  Lord  adds  to  the  Church 
daily  '^such  as  should  be  saved"  (Acts  ii.  47). 
Rahab  was  an  ancestress  of  Christ,  hence  her  house 
was  the  Lord's  house.  An  emblem  of  the  Church 
can  be  seen  in  the  ship  in  which  Christ  sailed 
across  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  He  has  promised  to  the 
Church  His  presence  as  she  sails  over  the  trouble- 
some waves  of  this  world.  The  name  of  that  part 
of  a  church  building  w^here  the  congregation  sits  is 
called  the  nave,  from  naris,  a  ship.  Our  Lord  de- 
scribes His  kingdom  as  a  vineyard,  hedged  about 
and  containing  a  winepress  and  tower.  So  the 
Church  is  hedged  about  by  her  rites  and  ceremonies 
and  creed.  From  her  winepress  flows  the  wine  of 
the  Holy  Communion,  and  the  ministers,  as  watch- 
men, stand  in  the  tower  of  the  pulpit. 

The  Church's  Hebrew  Origin 

The  Jewish  commonwealth  was  a  type  of  the 
Church,  in  fact  the  Christian  Church  is  only  the 
Jewish  Church  expanded.  According  to  Xoah's 
prophecy,  Japheth  is  dwelling  in  the  tents  of  Shem 
(Gen.  ix.  27).  Another  prophet  said,  "Ten  men 
shall  take  hold  out  of  all  languages  of  the  nations 
of  the  skirts  of  him  that  is  a  Jew,  saving,  We  will 


76     THE   CHURCHMAN'S   READY   REFERENCE 

go  with  you,  for  we  have  heard  that  God  is  with 
jou"  (Zech.  viii.  23).  We  are  ''by  faith  children 
of  Abraham."  The  ministration  of  the  Gospel 
exceeds  that  of  the  law  (11.  Cor.  iii.  7-9),  and  the 
Church  is  richer  in  traditions  and  teachings  than 
the  tabernacle,  but  both  are  excelled  by  the  heav- 
enly courts. 


THE    JEWISH 

THE     CHRISTIAN 

ST.    JOHX'S    VISION 

TEMPLE. 

CHURCH. 

OF    HEAVEN. 

1.  High  Priest. 

1.  Bishop   (Apostle). 

St.  Ignatius  (A.D. 

2.  Priest. 

2.  Priest    (Elder). 

115)   compares  these 

3.   Levite. 

3.  Deacon    (Seven). 

three    orders    to   the 
Trinity  ;   other  writ- 
ers to  angelic  orders. 

Sabbath. 

Lord's  day. 

Day    of    rest     (Heb. 
iv.  9). 

Feast  of  T  a  b  e  r- 

Christmas      (When 

Continued        abiding 

nacles. 

Christ  tabernacled 

presence  of  Christ. 

in    the    flesh.      St. 

Rev.   xxi.   3. 

John   i.   14). 

Passover. 

Easter   (I.  Cor.  v.  7. 

The  Lamb    Slain. 

8). 

Rev.   V.    6. 

Pentecost. 

Whitsunday. 

The  Seven  Spirits  of 
God.    Rev.  V.  6. 

Altar. 

Altar.    Heb.  xiii.  10. 

Golden   Altar.      Rev. 
viii.   3. 

1.  Court     of     taber- 

1.   *Xave     for    con- 

1. Mansions,     Christ 

naclrs    for    wor- 

gregation. 

prepares. 

shippers. 

2.   Choir  with  pul- 

2.  Seats  for  the  four 

2.   H  o  1  y  place  for 

pit.   Lectern   and 

and  twenty  elders. 

the  Ministers  — 

Prayer   Stalls. 

with  candlestick. 

table   of   shew 

bread,  and  altar 

of  incense. 

*  These  are  the  three  parts  of  a  Church  building,  and  sym- 
bolically represent  the  Church  militant,  expectant,  and  triumph- 
ant.     (See  page  265). 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH? 


77 


THE    JEWISH 
TEMPLE. 


3.  Holy   Of   Holies 

with  Ark. 
Sacrifices    (bloody). 

Circumcision 
(bloody). 

Laver. 

Bread    and    wine    of 

meat    offerings. 
Priests    after    order 

of  Aaron. 


THE     CHRISTIAN 
CHURCH 


3.   Sanctuary    with 

altar. 
E  u  c  h  a  r  is  t      (u  n- 

bloody). 
Baptism   (unbloody). 


of 


Font. 

Bread    and    wine 

Communion. 
C  h  r  i  s  t's  Ambassa 

dors. 


ST.    JOHN'S    VISION 
OF    HEAVEN 


3.  Great     white 

throne. 
Intercession    of 

Jesus. 
Robes  washed  in  the 

blood  of  the  Lamb. 

Sea   of  glass. 

Tree     of     life     with 

leaves  and  fruits. 
Christ  a  priest  after 

the   order  of  Mel- 

chisedec. 


In  the  synagogue  there  are  many  resemblances 
to  the  Church,  not  only  in  the  structure  of  the 
building,  and  liturgical  forms  of  worship,  but  in 
the  threefold  ministry,  as  chief  (St.  Luke  viii.  41), 
elder  (St.  Luke  vii.  3),  and  minister  (St.  Luke  iv. 
20).  Putting  out  of  the  synagogue  (St.  John  ix. 
22),  finds  its  counterpart  in  excommunication,  a 
sign  that  no  unclean  person  can  enter  heaven  (Eev. 
xxii.  15). 

Differences  In  Churches 

Amid  the  great  variety  of  Churches  in  America, 
a  man  is  sometimes  perplexed  to  know  to  which  he 
ought  to  belong.  He  has  learned  to  love  and  wor- 
ship Christ  as  his  Saviour  and  the  Son  of  God.  He 
wants  to  confess  Christ  before  the  world  ( St.  Matt. 
X.  32),  but  he  is  unable  to  come  to  a  definite  con- 
clusion, as  to  the  religious  body  in  which  to  take 
his  stand.     In  despair,  leaving  the  knot  untied,  a 


78         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

prevailing  sentiment  savs  it  makes  no  difference  to 
what  Churcli  a  man  belongs.  If  it  is  of  no  differ- 
ence what  Church,  why  is  it  of  any  difference  what 
religion  he  embraces  ?  Is  it  of  no  difference 
whether  he  is  Unitarian  or  Trinitarian,  whether 
infants  are  baptized  or  only  adults  ?  Whether  he 
become  a  Quaker  or  a  Swedenborgian  ?  Because 
men  are  being  taught  it  is  of  no  difference  what 
Church,  they  have  reached  the  logical  conclusion 
that  the  lodge.  Masonic  or  Odd  Fellows,  is  just  as 
good  for  them  as  the  Church  if  one  lives  up  to  one's 
obligations.  They  forget  that  one  is  human,  the 
other  divine,  in  its  origin.  Then  follows  the  next 
step. 

Being  Good  Out  of  the  Church 

Is  it  necessary  to  belong  to  any  Church  I  The 
man  must  not  forget  ^'The  Lord  added  to  the 
Church  daily  such  as  should  be  saved"  (Acts  i. 
47).  He  believes  there  are  as  good  men  out  of 
the  Church  as  in  it.  A  fever  country  has  not  as 
many  healthy  men  as  a  salubrious  one.  Men  may 
become  acclimated  in  an  unhealthy  region.  To  be- 
come acclimated  out  of  the  Church  means  that 
one  shall  be  accustomed  to  be  without  faith,  and 
that  he  shall  not  be  striving  after  holiness.  A 
fruit  tree  by  the  roadside  may  produce  fruit,  but 
it  will  not  be  as  much  nor  as  luscious  as  when 
found  in  an  orchard.  A  sick  man  will  recover 
more  quickly  in  a  hospital  where  he  can  have  thor- 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  79 

ough  medical  attendance  and  professional  nursing. 
There  is  a  goodness  of  nature,  apart  from  the 
Church,  but  it  lacks  the  sacramental  life  which  is 
the  highest  form  of  human  excellence. 

Originally  Only  One  Church 

Christ  only  established  one  Church,  not  manj^ 
When  the  word  ''Churches"  is  used  in  the  Xew 
Testament,  it  means,  not  different  Churches  in 
the  same  place,  but  the  same  one  Church  in  differ- 
ent places,  the  one  not  invading  the  territory  of  the 
other.  The  Apostles  did  not  establish  a  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Antioch,  and  a  Congregational 
Church  in  Ephesus,  and  a  Methodist  Church  in 
Corinth.  Wherever  they  went  they  established 
the  same  Church  (Ejih.  iv.  4,  5 ;  I.  Cor.  xii.  12, 
13),  all  in  communion  one  with  another.  Nor 
did  the  Church  in  Corinth  start  a  mission  in 
Ephesus,  to  draw  away  converts  from  the  Church 
first  founded.  They  gave  each  other  mutual  aid, 
but  they  did  not  erect  altar  against  altar.  The 
first  Church  was  founded  in  Jerusalem,  and  from 
thence  it  spread  ''in  all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria, 
and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth."  In 
the  'New  Testament  we  read  how  the  Church  was 
carried  to  Antioch,  Ephesus,  Greece,  and  finally 
Eome.  Ecclesiastical  History  tells  us  how  it  was 
carried  to  other  parts  of  the  world,  and  among 
them  to  England,  then  called  Britain.  When,  in 
the  providence  of  God,  America  was  discovered 


so         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

and  settled,  the  English  Church  was  brought  here, 
and  is  now  commonly  known  as  the  Episcopal 
Church. 

The   Branch  Theory 

Some  say  the  various  Christian  Bodies  are 
branches  of  the  one  Church.  St.  Paul  did  not 
so  consider  the  Peterites  and  Apollosites  of  Cor- 
inth. Xor  is  it  uncharitable,  nor  bigoted,  thus  to 
condemn  separation  from  the  Church.  Christ 
loved  the  Samaritans.  They  had  a  similar  wor- 
ship in  their  temple,  and  observed  the  same  laws  of 
IMoses  as  the  Jews,  yet  He  said  '^Ye  worship  ye 
know^  not  what";  ''Salvation  is  of  the  Jews."  It 
is  sometimes  said  the  different  denominations  spur 
each  other  on.  The  Gospel  is  not  like  worldly 
business,  in  which  competition  is  the  life  of  trade. 
By  creating  rivalries  and  envies,  they  destroy 
rather  than  foster  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  Scandal 
prevails.  We  ask  men  to  come  into  Church  mem- 
bership; they  reply,  ''Agree  among  yourselves 
first."  Christ  has  said,  "A  house  divided  against 
itself  cannot  stand."  Christianity,  therefore,  must 
and  will  unite  its  various  parts. 

The  Advantages  of   Unity 

The  advantages  of  unity  can  scarcely  be  re- 
counted, they  are  so  numerous.  In  a  certain  town 
of  4,000  population  and  typical  of  most  American 
to^vns,    there    are   twelve    denominations   laboring 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  81 

among  the  people.  The  aggregate  cost  of  their 
buildings  was  over  $125,000,  and  none  of  them  are 
remarkable  specimens  of  architecture.  The  sal- 
aries of  the  different  ministers  barely  keep  body 
and  soul  together,  though  they  amount  to  $8,200. 
The  other  exj^enses  foot  up  about  $3,000.  In 
many  towns  of  England,  of  the  same  size,  the 
Church  of  England  alone  is  represented  by  one 
or  two  parishes.  They  furnish,  by  their  immense 
size,  ample  seating  capacity  in  buildings  architec- 
turally poems  in  stone.  The  expenses  with  their 
several  clergy,  better  paid,  hence  more  capable 
men,  will  not  be  over  $7,000  or  $8,000  a  year,  and 
thus  about  $4,000  will  be  saved  for  the  poor,  hos- 
pitals, asylums,  and  missions  to  heathen. 

Foolishness  of  Divisions 

Suppose,  in  the  town  above  cited,  there  were 
twelve  schools  for  education,  in  which  one  taught 
only  arithmetic,  another  ignored  geography,  and 
another  grammar,  or  one  taught  spelling  by  the 
ordinary  method,  another  phonetically.  The  pub- 
lic school  system  in  American  is  efficient,  because 
nearly  every  one  supports  it.  It  is  not  perfect  in 
its  administration,  but  improvements  are  con- 
stantly being  made.  When  a  man  finds  fault  w^ith 
it,  he  does  not  start  a  school  in  opposition. 

Rome  Not  the  Church  for  America 
[Many  persons  who  have  not  studied  the  ques- 


82         THE  CHURCHMAX'S  READY  REFEREXCE 

tion  are  apt  to  say  the  Roman  Catholic  is  the 
most  ancient  Church.  But  such  is  not  the  case. 
The  first  Church  was  founded  in  Jerusalem,  and 
while  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  this  country 
can  trace  its  descent  back  to  the  Church  in  Jeru- 
salem, so  can  the  Episcopal  Church,  through  the 
Church  of  England.  We  are  Americans,  not 
Romans.  We  speak  the  English  language,  not 
Latin,  which  is  an  unknown  tongue,  in  w^hich  the 
Roman  Church  recites  her  liturgy,  conducts  her 
worship,  and  carries  on  her  affairs.  All  questions 
must  be  submitted  by  Roman  Catholics  to  a  foreign 
bishop  and  potentate. 

No  Protestant  Body 

Xo  Protestant  body  can  claim  to  be  the  Church 
Christ  established,  because  its  history  goes  no  fur- 
ther back  than  400  years,  at  the  most,  which  is 
1,500  years  too  late.  They  have  all  abandoned 
the  apostolic  ministry  and  started  a  ministry  of 
their  own  appointment.  They  have,  more  or  less, 
abandoned  apostolic  and  historic  practices  sanc- 
tioned by  Scripture.  Some  have  departed  very  far 
from  Catholic  doctrine.  The  very  principle  upon 
which  they  exist  prevents  them  from  maintaining 
the  unity  of  the  Church,  which  is  part  of  God's 
design.  There  are  some  twenty-five  different  kinds 
of  Methodists  and  many  kinds  of  Presbyterians, 
Baptists,  and  Lutherans;  in  this  way  they  divide 
and  subdivide. 


WHAT  IS  THE  CHURCH?  83 

The  Episcopal  Church 

Here,  then,  we  have  reached  the  point  of  diver- 
gence. Three  paths  part ;  one  too  far  one  way,  one 
too  far  another,  and  one  keeping  straight  on.  The 
Episcopal  Church  is  Apostolic  and  Catholic  in  doc- 
trine, discipline,  and  worship.  In  this  country  it 
is  American.  Its  government  by  the  Episcopate 
is  everywhere  found  to  be  a  bond  of  unity.  Wit- 
ness the  unity  existing  in  the  Roman  and  Greek 
Church  as  well  as  in  the  Anglican  Communion. 
The  Episcopal  Church  is  the  via  media  between 
Catholic  or  historic  bodies,  and  Protestant  bodies, 
and  has  been  so  regarded  by  many  theologians  of 
all  classes,  at  home  and  abroad.  It  is  the  via 
media,  recognizing  and  harmonizing  apparently 
opposite  truths,  one  of  which,  dwelt  upon  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  other,  has  separated  Rome  from 
Protestantism.  Take,  for  example,  the  conflict 
between  authority  and  conscience,  salvation  by 
faith  and  works,  or  the  Bible  and  tradition.  Prot- 
estantism, believing  in  the  Incarnation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  fails  to  see  its  extension  to  the  present  day 
in  Church  and  Sacraments,  and  so  falls  short  of 
the  whole  truth.  Romanism  believes  in  the  Incar- 
nation, in  its  entirety,  but  overlays  it  with  Mariol- 
atry.  Papal  Infallibility,  etc. ;  and  so  teaches  more 
than  the  truth.  To  come  into  the  Church  is  a  step 
upward  to  a  fuller  appreciation  of  our  Christian 
privileges.  To  abandon  her  for  another  commun- 
ion is  a  loss  of  spiritual  character. 


CHAPTER  VI 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

THE  history  of  the  Church,  of  its  trials  and 
persecutions,  its  progress  and  conquests,  is  a 
most  interesting  and  profitable  study.  It  easily 
divides  itself  into  great  epochs,  sketches  of  which 
we  will  try  to  give.  A  knowledge  of  these  events 
will  the  better  explain  many  religious  controver- 
sies. The  Acts  of  the  Apostles  is  a  short,  inspired 
history,  and  we  cannot  at  times  help  regretting  that 
it  does  not  cover  a  more  extended  field,  and  a  longer 
period. 

Early  Progress 

On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  three  thousand  souls 
were  baptized,  and  soon  after  we  find  that  five 
thousand  were  added  to  the  faith.  After  'Hhe  per- 
secution that  arose  about  Stephen,''  the  disciples 
were  scattered,  and  preached  everwhere,  at  first 
to  the  JcAvs  only.  Among  the  earliest  missionaries 
were  St.  Barnabas  and  St.  Paul.  The  latter  en- 
tered Europe,  and  before  the  Canon  of  the  i^ew 
Testament  was  closed  Churches  were  established 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  85 

at  the  great  centres  of  the  Koman  Empire.  Taci- 
tus, the  historian,  says  in  the  time  of  Xero  (A.  D. 
68)  a  ^S^ast  multitude"  believed.  Plinv,  the  gov- 
ernor of  Bithvnia,  soon  after  St.  John's  death, 
wrote  to  the  Emperor  Trajan,  that  "  many  of  all 
ages  and  every  rank  of  both  sexes"  professed  the 
faith.  He  says,  ^^the  temples  (heathen)  were  al- 
most forsaken."  Justin  Martyr  (A.  D.  150), 
writes,  in  his  Apology,  that  ''there  is  no  race  of 
men,  whether  barbarian  or  Greek,  or  by  whatever 
other  name  they  be  designated,  whether  they  wan- 
der in  wagons  or  dwell  in  tents,  amongst  whom 
prayers  and  thanksgivings  are  not  offered  to  the 
Father  and  Creator  of  all,  in  the  name  of  the 
crucified  Jesus."  Tertullian,  at  the  close  of  the 
second  century,  declares  that  Parthia,  Media,  Ar- 
menia, Spain,  Gaul  (France),  Britain,  the  Ger- 
man tribes,  nations  and  isles  of  the  sea,  had 
churches.  He  adds:  ''We  are  but  of  yesterday, 
yet  we  have  filled  your  empire." 

The  Age  of  Persecution 

Our  Lord  foretold  that  His  disciples  would  be 
delivered  up  to  the  council  and  would  be  put  to 
death.  His  words  soon  came  true.  St.  Stephen 
was  stoned.  St.  James  was  beheaded.  St.  Paul 
gives  a  long  list  of  his  persecutions  some  years 
before  his  death.  Tradition  says  all  the  twelve, 
except  St.  John,  were  killed.  St.  Paul  was  be- 
headed.     St.   Peter  was  crucified  with  his  head 


86         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

downwards,  St.  James  the  Less  beaten,  St.  Simon 
sa^vn  asunder,  St.  Thomas  thrust  through  with 
darts  and  a  lance.  The  Roman  historian,  Tacitus, 
who  wrote  about  A.  D.  98,  thus  describes  the 
Xeronian  persecution  of  the  Christians,  some 
thirty  years  before :  ''Some  were  covered  with  the 
skins  of  wild  animals,  that  they  might  be  torn  to 
pieces  by  dogs,  some  were  crucified,  while  others, 
having  been  daubed  over  with  combustible  mate- 
rials, were  set  up  as  lights  in  the  night  time,  and 
thus  burned  to  death." 

The  Early  Martyrs 

Among  some  of  the  most  prominent  martyrs 
was  Polycarp,  bishop  of  Smyrna  (A.  D.  168). 
Suffering  Christians  were  called  martyrs  because 
they  testified  with  their  lives  for  the  faith.  Poly- 
carp Avas  a  disciple  of  St.  John.  He  Avas  urged 
by  the  pro-consul  to  forego  his  faith.  He  refused. 
Threats  were  of  no  avail.  The  aged  martyr  said, 
''Eighty  and  six  years  do  1  serve  Christ,  and  never 
hath  He  injured  me,  and  how  can  I  blaspheme  my 
King  and  Saviour  ?"  He  was  threatened  with 
wild  beasts  unless  he  changed.  He  replied,  "Call 
them,  I  cannot  change  from  good  to  evil.  It  is 
proper  to  change  from  sin  to  righteousness."  Fire 
was  threatened.  He  said  that  was  a  fire  which 
burned  only  for  a  time;  there  was  an  eternal  fire 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  87 

reserved  for  the  wicked.  The  pro-consul,  enraged, 
ordered  him  to  the  burning  stake,  and  he  died 
singing  praises  to  God. 

Ignatius,  bishop  of  Antioch,  became  food  for 
the  lions  (A.  D.  107).  Laurence,  the  Eoman 
deacon,  was  roasted  on  a  gridiron.  Sebastian,  the 
soldier,  was  shot  with  arrows.  Katharine,  the 
Virgin,  was  tortured  on  a  wheel,  then  beheaded. 
Pancratius,  a  lad  of  twelve,  yielded  up  his  life. 
Every  conceivable  punishment  was  used.  Mat- 
rons, virgins,  and  children  suffered,  neither  age 
nor  sex  acting  as  a  shield.  They  were  sent  into  the 
mines  to  work,  they  were  cast  into  dungeons.  They 
were  compelled  to  give  up  their  sacred  books  and 
betray  their  companions.  To  avoid  these  persecu- 
tions many  resorted  to  the  deserts  and  mountain 
fastnesses.  Others  lived  in  the  catacombs  under 
ground,  where  they  worshipped  and  buried  their 
dead.  These  have  been  opened,  in  modern  times, 
and  their  inscriptions  exhibit  the  faith  and  prac- 
tices of  the  primitive  Church.  In  all,  ten  persecu- 
tions are  enumerated  under  dift'erent  Eoman  em- 
perors. Some  were  more  severe  than  others.  They 
lasted  three  hundred  years,  from  ^ero  to  Dio- 
cletian.    The  last  was  the  severest  of  all. 

Constantine 

The  persecutions  were  brought  to  a  close  by  the 
sovereign  power  of  Eome  falling  into  the  hands 


88         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

of  Constantine/''"  This  man  was  born  of  a  British 
Christian  woman,  knoA\'n  to  the  Church  as  St. 
Helena.  His  father  held  the  office  of  C?esar  in  the 
province  of  Britain.  The  son  succeeded,  and,  after 
putting  down  various  opponents,  at  length  re- 
mained the  sole  victor  of  the  empire.  Just  before 
the  battle  of  Milvian  Bridge  (A.  D.  312),  when 
he  conquered  Italy,  Constantine  saw  a  vision  com- 
manding him  to  conquer  in  the  sign  of  the  cross. 
He  at  once  substituted  this  emblem  in  place  of  the 
old  Roman  eagles.  The  new  banner  was  called 
the  Labarum,  an  ensign,  in  which  the  first  letters 
of  the  name  of  Christ  were  wrought  into  a  mono- 
gram in  the  form  of  a  cross.  Although  thus  setting 
up  the  Christian  religion,  and  calling  bishops  to 
assist  him  in  his  government,  he  was  not  baptized 
until  on  his  death-bed.  His  reign  began  the  con- 
nection between  Church  and  State,  a  combination 
still  common  in  many  Christian  countries.  It 
answered  very  well  as  long  as  Christianity  was 
only  uuder  one  form,  though  at  best  attended  with 
some  evil.  The  Church  of  England  is  said  to  be 
^'established,''  or  recognized  by  law  as  the  official 
form  of  Christianitv  in  that  land.     The  monarch 


*  This  means  in  the  Roman  Empire.  Persecutions  have 
always  prevailed  when  missionaries  entered  new  countries. 
Thus  in  the  nineteenth  century  the  Church  of  England  lost 
two  celebrated  Bishops — Patteson  and  Hannington — besides 
priests  and  laymen,  and  the  martyrs  of  A.  D.  1900  in  China 
are  numbered  in  the  thousands. 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  89 

must  be  iu  communion  with  that  Church.  The 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  performs  the  coronation 
office,  and  some  of  the  Bishops  sit  in  Parliament. 
In  some  respects  the  Church  is  benefited  by  the 
union,  and  in  others  she  is  so  much  hampered  in 
her  movements  that  on  the  whole,  as  to  the  spiritual 
side,  she  is  the  loser. 

Arianism 

When  the  persecutions  ceased  against  the 
Church,  Satan  raised  another  enemy,  which  did 
more  injury  to  men's  souls  than  the  fear  of  stake  or 
sword.  Const antine  was  no  sooner  sole  emperor, 
and  had  declared  the  ''peace  of  the  Church,"  than 
a  controversy  arose  concerning  the  divine  personal- 
ity of  Christ.  Arius,  a  presbyter  of  the  Church  of 
Alexandria,  taught  that  our  Lord  was  a  creature, 
that  there  was  a  time  when  He  was  not,  and  that 
He  was  not  of  the  same  nature  as  the  Father,  only 
like  it.  To  settle  this  dispute,  Constantine  called 
a  council  at  Xice.  This  followed  the  example  of 
the  early  Church,  when  a  dispute  arose  concerning 
the  circmncising  of  Gentile  converts.  "The  apos- 
tles and  elders  came  together  for  to  consider  this 
matter"  (Acts  xv.  6).  In  this  way  other  disputes 
were  settled,  during  the  period  of  persecution,  but 
the  Council  of  Mce  is  called  the  First  General 
Council.  The  Anglican  Communion  (Episcopal) 
recognizes  six,  the  Greeks  seven,  and  the  Roman 
Catholics  about  twenty. 


90        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

The  Council  of  Nice 

The  Council  of  Xice  met  A.  D.  325,  and  was 
composed  of  318  Bishops.  It  took  the  Creed  of  the 
province  of  Csesarea,  to  which  Jerusalem  belonged, 
and  slightly  amplified  it.  This  is  known  as  the 
Xicene  Creed,  and  with  a  few  additions,  made  by 
the  Council  of  Constantinople,  is  the  longer  one  in 
the  Prayer  Book.  The  Council  of  Nice  decided 
that  the  Church  had  always  held  our  Lord  to  be 
the  Son  of  God,  from  all  eternity,  and  of  the  same 
substance  with  the  Father.  Some,  not  wishing  to 
go  the  entire  length  with  Arius,  changed  a  single 
letter  of  the  Greek  word  used  by  the  Council,  to 
make  the  controversy  appear  about  a  trifle.  The 
Council  said  ''homoousios,"  meaning  of  the  same 
substance  with  the  Father.  These  semi-Arians 
used  ''homozousios,''  meaning  similar,  but  not  the 
same  substance.  Our  Lord  said,  as  though  rebuk- 
ing them,  ''I  and  My  Father  are  One."  ''One  jot 
or  one  tittle  shall  in  no  wise  pass  from  the  law." 
This  heresy  in  after  times  passed  awaj.  In  mod- 
ern times,  it  is  represented  by  the  Unitarians. 

The  Council  of  Constantinople 

The  Council  of  Constantinople  (A.  D.  381) 
was  the  next  General  Council.  It  decided  that  it 
was  a  heresy  not  to  worship  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Third  Person  of  the  Trinity,  as  God.  It  also 
added  the  last  clauses  to  the  Xicene  Creed,  l^o 
council  has  since  altered  it,  and  later  ones  have 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH 


91 


placed  anathemas  upon  any  attempt  to  do  so.  In 
the  West,  the  words,  "and  the  Son"  (fiUoque)  were 
added  to  '^from  the  Father/'  with  reference  to  the 
procession  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  East  has  al- 
ways resisted  the  addition,  because  not  authorized 
by  a  General  Council. 

A  List  of  General  Councils 


DATE. 

PLACE. 

DECISION. 

325 

Nice. 

Christ  is  truly  God. 

381 

Constantinople. 

The  Holy  Ghost  is  God,  and 
Christ  is  perfect  Man. 

431 

Ephesus. 

Christ's  human  and  divine  na- 
tures are  united  in  one  person. 

451 

Chalcedon. 

Christ's  two  natures  are  insepar- 
able. 

Two  other  General  Councils,  both  held  at  Con- 
stantinople (533  A.  D.  and  680  A.  D.),  were  sup- 
plementary to  the  Third  and  Fourth. 

Other  Councils 

A  second  Council  was  held  at  Xice  (A.  D. 
787),  and  claimed  to  be  General.  It  decided  in 
favor  of  image-worship,  which  only  means  rever- 
ence, in  this  sense.  Whether  that  Council  should 
be  accounted  ecumenical,  Anglican  Churchmen 
are  not  agi'eed.  During  the  Middle  Ages,  several 
councils  met  in  the  West  under  the  Popes,  and 
gradually  formulated  some  of  the  objectionable 
features  which  gave  rise  to  the  Reformation,  as 


92         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

enforced  celibacy,  compulsory  confession,  and 
transubstantiation.  After  the  religions  upheaval 
of  the  16th  century,  the  Council  of  Trent  crystal- 
lized in  part  the  present  position  of  Roman  Catho- 
lics. In  1870  the  Vatican  Council  was  held,  which 
declared  the  Pope  infallible,  and  consequently  con- 
firmed the  dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  decreed  in  1851.  Several 
Pan-Anglican  conferences  of  the  Bishops  in  com- 
munion with  the  Church  of  England  (Episcopal) 
have  been  held  in  the  last  forty  years  which  have 
greatly  benefited  that  branch  of  the  Church  Catho- 
lic. Among  Protestant  synods  may  be  mentioned 
the  one  at  Dort  (1618  A.  I).),  which  affirmed  Cal- 
vinism, and  the  Westminster  Assembly  (1643), 
which  composed  the  Longer  and  Shorter  Cate- 
chisms of  the  Presbyterians. 

Apostolic  Missionaries 

When  new  tribes  invaded  the  Roman  empire  in 
the  fifth  century,  they  also  were  evangelized.  The 
first  missionary  w^ho  labored  among  them  is  usu- 
ally spoken  of  as  the  apostle  of  the  nation.  Ulfilas 
(348)  was  the  apostle  of  the  Goths,  Patrick  of 
Ireland  (494),  Columba  of  Scotland  (565), 
Avigustine  of  the  Saxons  (596),  David  of  the 
Welsh  (519),  Boniface,  an  English  monk,  of  Ger- 
many (750),  King  Stephen  of  Hungary  (900), 
and  Wlodimir,  sovereign  of  Russia,  of  his  king- 
dom (987).     The  early  Church  converted  portions 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  93 

of  China,  but  the  converts  afterwards  lapsed.  One 
of  the  objects  of  Columbus'  voyage  to  America  was 
to  add  new  lands  for  victories  of  the  Cross.  In 
the  earliest  charters  to  colonists  by  the  English 
crown,  the  evangelization  of  the  aborigines  was 
enforced  as  the  chief  care  of  those  receiving  each 
charter.  To-day  the  missionary  spirit  is  fully 
alive.  The  Church  of  England  is  doing  a  wonder- 
ful work.  Where  a  few  years  ago  islands  of  the 
Pacific  were  inhabited  by  cannibals,  we  now  find 
flourishing  congregations  of  Christians.  The  Epis- 
copal Church  in  America  is  not  neglecting  her 
duty.  Although  so  much  of  her  own  land  is  mis- 
sionary, yet  she  has  her  Bishops,  priests,  and  other 
workers  in  Haiti,  Africa,  China,  Jaj)an,  Mexico, 
Brazil,  and  elsewhere. 

The  Eastern  Church 

When  the  Gospel  w^as  carried  to  the  West,  it 
found  people  of  different  habits  and  languages.  If 
to  the  West  belonged  gi-eater  activity  and  practical 
application,  the  East  held  with  greater  tenacity  to 
the  original  institutions.  The  Greek  tongue  was 
the  language  of  the  ^ew  Testament,  the  Creed, 
and  the  decisions  of  the  great  Councils.  Xearly 
all  of  the  early  Fathers  w^ho  attained  eminence 
wrote  in  Greek,  and  nine-tenths  of  the  Bishops 
attending  the  ecumenical  councils  came  from  the 
East.  Their  different  characteristics  caused  di- 
vergence, and  finally  a  rupture  between  the  two 


94    THE  CHURCH:\IAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Churches.  The  principle  cause  of  dispute  was  the 
rising  i30wer  of  the  Bishop  of  Constantinople. 
Rome  became  jealous.  The  General  Council  of 
Chalcedon  recognized  Constantinople  as  holding 
the  second  place  of  power  and  authority.  Other 
grounds  for  the  quarrel  arose.  The  addition  of 
the  clause  ''from  the  Son"  to  the  Xicene  Creed 
(mentioned  when  speaking  of  the  Councils)  was 
one  of  them.  The  claim  of  rival  Bishops  to  juris- 
diction over  Bulgaria  was  another.  Finally,  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  (A.  D.  1054)  excommunicated 
the  Bishop  of  Constantinople.  The  latter  retali- 
ated, and  ever  since  these  two  branches  of  the 
Church  have  been  separated.  Several  attempts 
have  been  made  to  effect  a  reunion,  but  without 
success.  A  few  branches  of  the  Greek  Church  are 
now  in  communion  with  Rome,  and  are  called 
Uniats.  They  retain  all  their  peculiar  rites  and 
ceremonies,  their  priests  marry,  and  the  Commun- 
ion is  administered  in  both  kinds  and  with  leav- 
ened bread.  Rome  repudiates  these  customs  except 
among  these  Greeks.  The  Greek  Church  includes 
nearly  all  the  Christians  in  Mahometan  territories, 
and  the  strongest  branch  is  the  established  Church 
of  Russia.  It  is  also  the  Church  of  Greece  and 
of  southeastern  Europe.  There  are  some  offshoots 
of  oriental  Churches  which  are  accounted  schis- 
matical  and  even  heretical,  some  very  corrupt  and 
ignorant,  but  in  many  instances  now  learning 
better  w^ays.     They  more  or  less  outwardly  resem- 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  95 

ble  each  other.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned 
the  Copts  of  Egypt  and  Christians  of  Armenia, 
Syria,  and  parts  of  India.  While  in  practice,  dis- 
cipline, and  rites  the  Orthodox  Greeks  seem  allied 
to  Eome,  in  doctrine  they  are  closer  to  the  Angli- 
cans, and  encouraging  approaches  to  intercommun- 
ion have  frequently  taken  place. 

The  Rise  of  the  Papacy 

As  we  read  Church  history,  we  find  in  the 
Church  one  blot  which  has  marred  its  fair  beauty, 
one  cankerous  spot  growing  larger  and  larger, 
namely,  the  false  claims  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
to  be  by  divine  right  the  universal  head  of  all 
Churches,  and  even  sovereign  ruler  in  matters 
temporal.  It  was  not  so  in  the  beginning,  and  we 
can  as  easily  trace  the  progress  of  his  power,  as 
we  can  the  growth  of  a  plant.  Several  passages 
of  Scripture  were  warped  to  assist  in  fostering 
these  claims.  The  words  of  our  Lord  to  St.  Peter, 
''Thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build 
My  Church,"  in  the  original  read,  ''Thou  art  a 
stone,  and  upon  this  rock."  The  early  Fathers  in- 
terpret the  rock  to  mean  the  confession  St.  Peter 
made,  or  that  Christ  is  the  rock  (I.  Cor.  x.  4),  and 
St.  Peter  was  the  first  stone  (Cephas)  placed  upon 
it.  St.  Augustine  (398  A.  D.)  says,  "IS'ot  the  rock 
from  Peter,  but  Peter  from  the  Rock,  as  Christ 
is  not  from  Christian,  but  Christian  from  Christ." 
It  is  said  our  Lord  gave  St.  Peter  the  "keys  of 


9G         THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  Kingdom  of  Heaven."  These  keys  he  first 
used  in  admitting  the  Jews  on  the  Day  of  Pente- 
cost, and  the  Gentiles  in  the  person  of  Cornelius. 
Christ  alone  has  the  ''key  of  David."  He  ''openeth 
and  no  man  shutteth,  and  shntteth  and  no  man 
openeth"  (Eev.  iii.  7).  It  is  not  even  certain 
that  St.  Peter  was  ever  in  Kome  nntil  shortly 
before  his  martyrdom.  There  is  no  evidence  that 
the  special  graces  vouchsafed  to  him  were  trans- 
mitted to  any  successor.  In  fact,  they  could  not 
be;  for  they  Avere  personal.  There  were  many 
special  graces  peculiar  to  St.  John  of  which  St. 
Peter  Avas  deprived,  and  which  were  not  trans- 
mitted. 

All   Bishops   Equal 

St.  Paul  says  he  was  not  "behind  the  very 
chief  est  apostles"  (II.  Cor.  xii.  11),  that  he  had 
the  "care  of  all  the  Churches"  (II.  Cor.  xi.  28), 
that  he  "withstood  Peter  to  the  face  because  he 
Avas  to  blame"  (Gal.  ii.  11).  ''The  apostles"— not 
one  of  them  only — sent  St.  Peter  to  Samaria  (Acts 
viii.  14).  What  Bishops  of  the  Koman  Church 
would  dare  to  send  the  Pope  to  ^Naples  or  Africa 
to  confirm  ?  The  early  councils  were  not  presided 
over  by  the  Popes.  A  primacy  of  honor  was  after 
a  while  given  to  the  Bishop  of  Kome,  because  it 
Avas  the  metropolis,  and  there  tAvo  apostles  had  been 
martyred.  Various  Bishops  did  not  hesitate  to 
oppose  him,  as  the  Asiatics  opposed  Pope  Victor, 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  97 

and  the  Africans  opposed  Pope  Stephen.  St. 
Cyprian  (A.  D.  250)  says,  ''What  Peter  was,  the 
other  apostles  were  endowed  with  equal  honor  and 
power."  St.  Jerome  (A.  D.  390)  says,  ''Wherever 
a  Bishop  was,  in  a  large  town  or  small,  Rome  or 
Rhegium,  it  Avas  the  same  office."  Gregory,  Bishop 
of  Rome  (590-604)  calls  him  anti-Christ  who  as- 
sumes the  title  of  "Bishop  of  Bishops." 

The  Roman  Patriarchate 

How  then  did  the  Pope's  power  grow  (  What 
London  is  to  the  British  empire,  Rome  was  to  the 
ancient  world.  Consequently  its  Bishops  held  the 
principal  see  in  the  world.  Special  reverence  was 
paid  to  apostolic  sees  (those  founded  by  an  apos- 
tle). Rome  boasted  of  two  such  apostles,  St.  Peter 
and  St.  Paul.  She  was  what  no  other  see  was, 
both  imperial  and  apostolic.  Constantinople  was 
imperial.  Antioch  was  apostolic.  In  the  West, 
when  the  Councils  created  patriarchs,  the  Pope 
was  alone  without  a  rival.  In  the  East  there 
were  four,  Alexandria,  Antioch,  Constantinople, 
and  Jerusalem.  These  Eastern  patriarchs  were 
jealous  of  each  other,  and  continually  called  upon 
the  patriarch  of  Rome  to  aid  them  in  fighting  one 
another.  After  the  fourth  century,  the  Church 
became  very  worldly,  and  the  Bishops  thought  too 
much  of  aggrandizing  the  powers  of  their  sees.  In 
this,  the  Bishop  of  Rome  was  favored  when  the 
emperor   removed   the   capital   to   Constantinople. 


98        THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

He  was  left  untrammelled  by  the  civil  government 
in  following  out  the  bent  of  his  mind. 

False  Documents 

False  documents  were  used  to  increase  the 
papal  power.  One  told  the  King  of  France  (8th 
century)  hoAv  Constantine  had  given  the  Pope  his 
temporal  power  in  Rome.  Letters  were  sent  pur- 
porting to  come  from  St.  Peter  and  the  Virgin 
Mary,  calling  upon  the  king  to  further  the  Pope's 
cause.  Certain  forged  decretals  were  used  in  the 
ninth  century  as  part  of  canon  law,  which  placed 
the  Popes  above  all  other  Bishops.  It  was  not  for 
centuries  that  these  were  discovered  to  be  false, 
and  the  discovery  gTcatly  assisted  the  Reformation* 
At  present,  all  scholars,  Romanists  and  Protest- 
ants, acknowledge  these  documents  to  have  been 
forgeries. 

Rome  a  Political  Centre 

After  the  disruption  of  the  Roman  empire  in 
the  West,  the  nations  of  Europe,  just  forming,  and 
adapting  themselves  to  the  new  conditions  of  civil- 
ization, felt  the  need  of  a  centre  of  unity.  They 
had  been  accustomed  to  look  to  the  emperor  at 
Rome.  After  his  removal  to  Constantinople  and 
their  conversion  to  Christianity,  they  looked  to  the 
patriarchal  Bishop.  The  ambition  of  the  Popes 
tempted  them  to  use  this  opportunity  for  their  own 
advancement.     Much  good  sprang  out  of  this,  it 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  99 

is  true,  for  God  can  ahvavs  bring  good  out  of  evil ; 
but  the  harm  has  been  greater  than  the  benefit.  It 
has  alienated  the  East,  it  has  disrupted  the  West 
into  many  sects,  on  the  part  of  those  who  rejected 
his  unscriptural  claims;  and  in  those  who  have 
remained  steadfast  to  this  visible  centre,  it  has 
crystallized  many  errors.  Two  things  assisted  the 
Popes,  the  crusades  and  monasticism. 

The  Crusades 

A  desire  to  visit  the  Holy  Land,  the  land  of  the 
Bible,  and  where  our  Lord  lived  and  died,  always 
existed  in  the  minds  of  Christians.  This  desire 
afterwards  assumed  a  form  of  devotion  called  pil- 
grimages, which  were  considered  religiously  bene- 
ficial. Sacred  feelings  were  naturally  inspired  by 
a  visit  to  the  sepulchre  of  our  Lord,  the  Garden  of 
Gethsemane,  Bethlehem  or  I^azareth.  When  the 
Mahometans  obtained  possession  of  these  places, 
pilgrimages  were  attended  with  trouble  and  often 
with  danger.  At  length  Peter  the  hermit  (A.  D. 
1095)  stirred  up  all  Europe  by  his  recital  of  the 
cruelties  to  which  Christians  were  subjected.  It 
was  determined  to  rescue  the  holy  sepulchre  from 
the  hand  of  the  infidel.  An  immense  army  was 
raised  for  the  purpose,  and  it  was  called  a  crusade, 
because  the  soldiers  wore  a  cross  on  their  breasts. 
At  first  they  were  successful,  but  afterwards  lost 
all  they  had  won.  Some  of  the  Crusades  were 
turned    against    their    brethren    of    the    Eastern 


100       THE  CHLRCILMAX'S  READY  REFERE^X•E 

Church,  and  thus  caused  additional  bad  feeling 
between  the  two  branches  of  the  Church.  These 
Crusades  aided  the  Pope,  because  they  placed 
armies  at  his  disposal  which  he  often  turned  from 
Palestine  to  fight  political  enemies  nearer  home. 
The  seven  Crusades  cover  a  period  of  nearly  two 
hundred  years,  from  1006  to  1270.  Fanatical  as 
they  were,  they  wrought  much  good.  Cultivation 
of  the  mind  was  forw^arded  by  foreign  travel.  The 
^Yest  found  in  the  East  not  only  a  higher  civiliza- 
tion than  their  own,  but  a  Church  independent  of 
the  Pope. 

The  Monastic  Life 

Asceticism  necessarily  forms  a  large  part  of 
Christianity.  Our  Lord's  life  consisted  in  His 
voluntarily  taking  upon  Himself  the  ''form  of  a 
servant" ;  He  "became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  Cross."  His  disciples  are  told  to 
take  up  their  cross  and  follow  Him.  St.  Paul  kept 
his  body  in  subjection,  and  mortified  the  flesh. 
Some  of  the  early  Christians  were  more  intent 
upon  a  life  of  sacrifice  than  others.  Some  felt  the 
necessity  because  of  the  prevalence  of  evil.  Very 
early  we  find  a  few  observing  the  "counsels  of 
perfection."  "They  sold  all  they  had  and  gave  to 
the  poor."  They  remained  "eunuchs  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven's  sake,"  that  "they  might  care  for 
the  things  of  the  Lord,  that  they  might  be  holy  both 
in  body  and  spirit."    The  persecutions  of  the  early 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  101 

Church  drove  niauy  Christians  into  the  wiklerness, 
where,  like  Elijah  and  John  the  Baptist,  they 
eoiild  spend  their  time  in  meditation  and  prayer. 
Among  the  earliest  of  these  was  St.  Anthony  of 
Egypt  (A.  D.  251).  The  number  of  these  hermits 
increased,  and  gradually  they  formed  themselves 
into  societies  where  they  practised  different  modes 
of  mortification.  While  it  is  true  that  some  ran 
into  excess,  it  w^as  at  least  a  protest  against  the 
luxurious  living  of  the  age.  Christians  of  the 
day  were  being  swept  into  the  vortex  of  sensualism. 
x\n  opinion  prevailed  that  there  was  special  virtue 
in  these  acts  of  self-denial,  and  thus  harm  grew  out 
of  what  was  intended  only  to  produce  good. 


St.  Benedict 


St.  Benedict  was  the  principal  leader  of  mon- 
asticism  in  the  West.  He  founded  the  celebrated 
monastery  of  Monte  Casino  (A.  D.  529),  and  his 
rule  w^as  adopted  for  centuries  by  nearly  all  monks 
in  Western  Europe.  In  the  course  of  time  new 
orders  besides  the  Benedictines  came  into  exist- 
ence, and  the  numl>er  of  monks  greatly  increased. 
They  all  took  the  three  vows  of  poverty,  celibacy, 
and  obedience.  Those  in  the  West  were  immedi- 
ately under  the  direction  of  the  Pope,  and  free 
from  the  authority  of  their  proper  Bishop.  They 
interfered  with  the  secular  clergy,  and  were  every- 
where advocates  of  the  papal  power.  They  were, 
in  the  rough  ages  of  the  eighth  and  tenth  centuries. 


102       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

productive  of  much  good  bv  preserving  the  learn- 
ing of  the  day,  copying  manuscripts,  offering  an 
asylum  to  the  helpless,  and  keeping  alive  a  re- 
ligious spirit.  Such  institutions  at  times  developed 
spiritual  egotism.  The  life  was  one  of  comparative 
idleness,  and  the  inmates  Avere  in  danger  of  becom- 
ing indolent. 

The  Monasteries  and  the  Reformation 

At  the  Reformation,  these  abuses,  and  others, 
induced  Protestants  to  abolish  them.  In  England, 
but  for  the  rapacity  of  the  government,  the  Church 
would  have  corrected  the  abuses,  reduced  the  num- 
ber of  houses,  and  pennitted  the  useful  ones  to 
remain.  The  king  and  nobles  seized  the  property, 
the  plate,  the  altar  cloths,  the  vestments,  etc.,  for 
their  own  purposes.  Of  late  years  the  Anglican 
Church  has  revived  the  system  on  a  smaller  scale, 
sufficiently  large  to  avoid  abuses  and  to  be  useful 
in  labors.  The  ISTeAv  Testament  seems  to  counten- 
ance the  system.  Phoebe,  the  deaconess  (Rom. 
xvi.  1)  is  an  example  of  a  woman  devoted  to  a 
religious  life.  St.  Paul  refers  to  a  body  of  women 
banded  together  (I.  Tim.  v.  9).  Members  of  sis- 
terhoods teach  schools,  work  in  institutions  of  re- 
form, visit  the  poor,  nurse  the  sick,  embroider  vest- 
ments, prepare  altar  linen,  and  the  older  ones 
devote  themselves  to  prayer,  like  Anna,  the  proph- 
etess, "which  departed  not  from  the  temple"  (St. 
Luke  ii.  37). 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  103 

The  Causes  of  the  Reformation 

The  abuses  which  arose  in  the  Church  of  the 
West,  both  in  discipline  and  doctrine,  clamored  for 
correction.  The  cry  was  universal.  Councils 
were  held,  as  at  Constance  and  Basle,  to  act.  By 
them  the  powers  of  the  Pope  were  restricted,  and 
one  declared  a  council  was  superior  to  the 
Pope.  But  when  the  council  adjourned,  and  he 
vras  left  untrammelled,  things  went  on  as  before. 
A  set-back  had  been  given,  when  Huss  and  Jerome 
of  Prague,  followers  of  the  English  Wiclift'e,  and 
predecessors  of  Luther,  were  burned  (A.  D.  1415) 
at  Constance.  But  the  leaven  was  working  which 
ended  in  the  religious  upheaval  of  the  sixteenth 
century. 

The  Papacy   Loses  Prestige 

The  confidence  of  the  people  in  the  papacy  was 
undermined.  The  scandals  and  licentiousness  of 
the  Koman  court  had  dragged  it  into  disgrace. 
Harlots  made  and  unmade  popes.  Gold  was  the 
touchstone  which  secured  any  favor.  The  in- 
trigues of  popes  were  met  by  the  intrigues  of  kings. 
The  popes  had  become  "lords  over  God's  heritage.'' 
One  compelled  Henry  IV.  of  Germany,  barefooted 
and  poorly  clad,  to  endure  for  several  days  the 
w^inter's  cold  at  Canossa  (A.  D.  1077),  knocking 
at  his  door  for  admittance.  Another  placed  his 
foot  upon  the  people's  favorite  emperor,  Frederick 


104       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Barbarossa.  Boniface  VIII.  (A.  D.  1302),  by  a 
bull,  claimed  the  right  to  pull  down  and  build  up, 
to  dethrone  kings  and  make  new  ones,  to  be  the 
supreme  arbiter  of  the  allegiance  subjects  owe  to 
their  monarchs.  This  power,  in  after  times,  was 
used  against  Queen  Elizabeth  of  England. 

The  Popes  at  Avignon 

Sometimes  the  Pope  was  caught  in  his  own 
trickery.  The  King  of  France  secured  the  elec- 
tion of  a  Pope  favorable  to  his  interests,  and  in- 
duced the  new  incumbent  to  remove  to  Avignon,  a 
city  in  French  territory.  Here  the  popes  lived  for 
seventy  years  on  foreign  soil,  hence  called  the 
Babylonian  captivity  (1305-1377).  Here  every 
form  of  licentiousness  was  allowed.  The  palaces 
of  the  Pope  and  cardinals  were  turned  into  bac- 
chanalian resorts,  in  which  Messalian  orgies  were 
enacted.  Xo  longer  was  the  papacy  associated  with 
Rome,  except  theoretically.  The  spell  was  broken. 
When  the  Pope  returned  to  the  eternal  city,  rival 
parties  elected  another  for  Avignon,  and  thus  there 
were  two  popes,  between  whom  the  allegiance  of 
the  people  was  divided.  To  make  matters  worse, 
after  a  number  of  years  in  attempting  to  heal  the 
schism,  a  third  Pope  was  elected,  expecting  the 
other  two  to  resign.  But  they  did  not,  and  the 
third  was  deposed  for  heresy  and  the  grossest  forms 
of  crime  and  immoralitv. 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  105 

The  Awakening 

The  nations  whicli  overran  the  Roman  empire 
were  barbarians.  For  generations,  all  learning 
was  confined  to  the  Chnrch,  and  principally  locked 
np  in  monasteries.  As  the  new  nations  became 
settled,  civilization  advanced  and  learning  in- 
creased. Two  events  greatly  promoted  the  civil- 
ization of  the  people.  In  the  middle  of  the  15th 
century  the  art  of  printing  was  discovered,  books 
were  mnltiplied,  and  brought  within  the  means  of 
the  masses.  The  Bible  had  been  a  sealed  book, 
partly  becanse  mannscripts  were  expensive.  A 
taste  for  learning,  by  the  fall  of  Constantinople  in 
1451,  took  a  direction  favorable  to  the  Reforma- 
tion. A  large  nnmber  of  learned  Greeks  escaped  to 
the  West,  from  the  power  of  the  conquering  Turk. 
An  impulse  was  given  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  in 
the  original.  Monks  in  vain  railed  against  the 
new  learning.  The}^  called  Hebrew  ^'the  language 
of  the  devil."  But  men  pursued  their  studies,  and 
acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures,  the  first 
essential  in  correcting  the  abuses  both  in  doctrine 
and  discipline. 

Degradation  of  the  Church 

Xot  to  enumerate  all  the  causes  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, a  glimpse  at  the  corrupt  state  of  the  clergy 
will  be  sufficient  to  understand  the  clamor  of  the 
masses.     To  be  a  priest  was  almost  regarded  as  to 


106       THE  church:^! AX'S  EEADY  REFERENCE 

have  fallen  into  the  very  lowest  moral  condition. 
They  frequented  ale-houses,  and  some  associated 
with  harlots  or  kept  mistresses.  Patronage  in  the 
Church  was  for  sale.  Parishes  and  dioceses  had 
their  price.  More  money  flowed  into  the  papal 
treasury  from  England  than  into  the  King's. 
Peter's  pence,  annates,  indulgences,  dispensations, 
bribes,  simony,  were  all  means  of  filling  the  Pope's 
coffers.  Men  held  as  high  as  ten  or  twenty  parishes 
at  one  time,  drawing  revenues  from  all.  The 
Popes  appointed  many  foreign  clergy  to  rector- 
ships, who  only  visited  their  parishes  to  receive  the 
annual  income,  and  flew  back  to  Italy  to  spend  it 
in  luxury.    The  flock  was  not  fed,  but  fleeced. 

The  Reformation  on  the  Continent 

The  great  part  which  Luther  played  in  bring- 
ing about  the  Reformation  was  to  apply  the  torch 
to  all  this  combustible  material.  A  mighty  con- 
flagration ensued.  He  was  a  monk,  and  a  professor 
at  Wittenberg,  Germany.  Leo  X.,  wishing  to  ob- 
tain money  for  completing  St.  Peter's,  Rome,  was 
advised  to  sell  indulgences,  that  is,  upon  the  pay- 
ment of  a  sum  of  money,  the  person  was  promised 
relief  from  purgatorial  pain,  or  the  benefit  could 
be  applied  to  some  departed  relative.  The  people 
were  told  that  by  this  means  they  could  purchase 
Paradise,  and  even  obtain  pardon  for  crimes  not 
yet  committed.  Luther  preached  against  this  ne- 
farious business  (A.  D.  1517).     The  Pope  excom- 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  107 

mimicated  the  monk,  who  boldly  burned  the  Pope's 
Bull.  He  was  summoned  before  the  diet  of  the 
German  empire  at  Worms  (A.  D.  1521).  He 
refused  to  retract,  and  the  Duke  of  Saxony,  to  save 
him  from  the  fate  of  Huss,  concealed  him  in 
a  castle.  The  work  went  on,  and  in  the  end  the 
papal  power  was  overthrown  in  a  large  part  of  Ger- 
many. 

The  Mistakes  of  Luther 

Unfortunately,  Luther  permitted  his  work  to 
drift  into  a  Presbyterian  ministry,  instead  of  se- 
curing an  episcopal  succession.  An  attempt  was 
made  to  obtain  reformed  Bishops  from  England, 
but  English  Romanists  thwarted  the  plan.  How- 
ever, he  worked  partly  along  Catholic  lines.  He 
taught  the  Real  Presence  in  the  Communion,  and 
preserved  many  ancient  customs  of  the  Church. 
In  Sweden  the  Augsburg  Confession  of  Faith 
(Lutheran)  was  adopted,  and  the  episcopal  suc- 
cession is  believed  by  some  to  have  been  retained, 
as  in  England,  although  little  stress  may  have  been 
laid  upon  the  fact.  In  Denmark,  priests  were 
raised  to  the  position  of  superintendents,  to  take 
the  place  of  true  Bishops,  while  liturgies,  vest- 
ments, altar  lights,  and  incense  are  common. 

The   Reformation   in  Switzerland 

Zwingle  was  the  first  leader  of  the  Reformation 
in  Switzerland,  and  afterwards  the  work  was  car- 


108       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

ried  on  by  Calvin.  These  went  still  fnrther  than 
Luther  from  the  established  customs  of  the  Church. 
Like  the  Lutherans,  they  had  no  episcopate,  al- 
though Calvin  highly  approved  of  the  constitu- 
tional Bishops  of  reformed  England.  His  system 
of  theology  was  largely  adopted  by  the  Presby- 
terians of  the  Westminster  Divines  (1643  A.  D.), 
and  the  established  Church  of  Scotland. 

The   Reformation  in  Other  Countries 

In  France,  the  reformers  very  early  obtained 
adherents.  They  were  favored  by  many  of  the 
nobles.  A  league  was  formed  for  their  extirpation 
which  resulted  in  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholo- 
mew's Day  (Aug.  24:th,  1572),  when  it  is  said 
30,000  (some  authorities  say  70,000)  Protestants 
were  murdered.  After  much  further  cruel  perse- 
cution, toleration  was  obtained  by  the  Edict  of 
Nantes  (A.  D.  1598).  This  was  repealed  by  Louis 
XI Y.  in  1685,  when  the  Huguenots  were  com- 
pelled to  emigrate  or  conform  to  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic religion.  Thus  only  a  small  remnant  was 
left,  who  followed  the  doctrines  of  Calvin.  In 
Spain  the  Inquisition  checked  the  reformed  work. 
One  of  the  members  of  this  repressive  engine  said 
that  36,000  were  put  to  death,  and  over  280,000 
condemned  in  one  way  or  another.  Thus  Prot- 
estantism was  wiped  out,  and  Spain  fell  from  being 
the  most  exalted  to  being  the  most  degraded  nation 
of  Europe. 


A  HISTORY  OF  THE  CHUKCH  1U9 

It  will  be  unnecessary  and  almost  impossible  to 
follow  tlie  liistoiy  of  the  various  religious  bodies 
which  grew  out  of  the  Eeformation,  or  have 
branched  off  since.  A  table  giving  the  origin  of 
many  of  them  will  be  found  on  page  328.  It 
has  been  unfortunate  that  Protestantism  has  sho^^Ti 
this  tendency  to  disintegrate,  when  our  Lord  prayed 
for  the  unity  of  His  followers,  and  we  may  pray 
that  His  desire  may  yet  be  realized.  Two  small 
works  are  recommended  to  the  general  reader: 
Cutts'  Turning  Points  of  General  Church  History, 
and  Dearmer's  Everyman's  History  of  the  Church 
of  England. 

A  Chronological  Table 
A.  D. 

29— Tlie  Crucifixion. 

37 — Conversion  of  St.  Paul. 

65— Martyrdom  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 

70 — Destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
100— Death  of  St.  John. 
115— Martyrdom  of  St.  Ignatius. 
280— St.  Anthony,  the  hermit. 
30.3-313— The  Persecution  of  Diocletian. 
312— Constantine  sees  the  vision  of  the  cross  in  the  heavens. 
325 — Council  of  Nice. 

373— Death  of  St.  Athanasius,  the  champion  of  the  faith. 
381 — Council  of  Constantinople. 
431 — Council  of  Ephesus. 
451— Council  of  Chalcedon. 
496— Baptism  of  Clovis,  King  of  the  Franks. 
529— St.  Benedict  founds  his  monastery  on  Monte  Casino 
596— St.  Augustine  of  Canterbury's  mission  to  England. 
610- Boniface    II.,    Bishop    of   Pvome,    assumes    the    "anti- 
Christian"  title,  "Bishop  of  Bishops  " 
622— Rise  of  Mahomet. 


no       THE  CHURCmiAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

637 — ^lahometans  take  Jerusalem. 

754 — Iconoclastic  Council  of  Constantinople. 

787 — Second  Council  of  Nice  authorizes  image-worship. 

800 — Charlemagne  crowned  King  of  Italy,  beginning  of  the 

"Holy  Roman  Empire." 
1054 — Final  division  between  the  Churches  of  the  East  and 

West. 
1066 — William  of  Normandy  conquers  England. 
1073-1086 — Gregory  VII.  Pope.    Dispute  with  Henry  IV.  of 

Germany. 
1096 — First  Crusade  to  the  Holy  Land. 
1215 — Fourth  Lateran  Council  under  Innocent  III.     Tran- 

substantiation   approved   and   auricular   confession 

made  compulsory. 
1272— Last  Crusade. 

1305-1377 — The  Popes  reside  at  Avignon — Babylonian  Cap- 
tivity. 
1378-1417— The  Great  Papal  Schism. 
1382— Wickliffe  flourished  in  England. 
1414-1418 — Council    of    Constance.     Huss    and    Jerome    of 

Prague  burnt. 
1453 — Mahometans  capture  Constantinople. 
1517 — Luther  opposes  the  sale  of  indulgences. 
1521 — Luther  at  the  Diet  of  Worms. 
1530 — The  Augsburg  Confession. 
1534 — Papal  Supremacy  overthrown  in  England. 
1545-1563 — Council  of  Trent  which  determined  the  present 

status  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
1572 — Massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew. 
1 643 — Westminster  Assembly. 

1784 — First  American  Bishop   (Seabury)   consecrated. 
1785 — American  Church  fully  organized. 
1867 — First  Pan-Anglican  Conference. 
1870 — Vatican  Council  declared  the  Pope  infallible. 
1892 — American  Revised  Prayer  Book. 
1908 — Fifth  Pan-Anglican  Conference. 


CHAPTEK  VII 

HISTORY  OF   THE   CHURCH    OF    ENGLAND 

EACH  local  Church  has  its  o^\^l  history.  Events 
take  place  which  affect  it  only,  and  not  the 
general  Church,  and  events  of  general  interest 
affect  various  parts  of  the  whole  Church  in  differ- 
ent ways.  We  must  then  trace  the  history  of  the 
Church  of  England  from  apostolic  times  to  the 
present,  because  the  American  Church  is  of  Anglo- 
Saxon  descent. 

Origin  of  British  Christianity 

The  origin  of  British  Christianity  is  wrapped 
in  myster}^  One  tradition  says  St.  Paul  visited 
the  island.  That,  however,  is  not  generally  ac- 
cepted as  authentic.  However  that  may  be,  it 
seems  that  the  Church  of  the  Britons  was  fully 
established  by  the  third  century,  probably  owing 
much  to  the  Church  of  Gaul,  where  Irenseus  flour- 
ished. The  country  was  not  harassed  by  persecu- 
tion until  A.  D.  303,  when  St.  Alban  became  the 
proto-martyr.  He  was  a  Roman  soldier,  who  gave 
shelter  to  a  Christian  priest,  and  afterwards  facili- 
tated  his   escape   by   changing  clothes   with   him. 


112       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

While  sojourning  in  the  house,  the  priest  instructed 
Alban  in  the  faith.  When  brought  before  the 
judge,  charged  with  concealing  a  blasphemer  of  the 
Roman  gods,  he  avowed  himself  a  convert.  !N'o 
torture  nor  suffering  could  induce  him  to  burn  in- 
cense at  the  heathen  altar,  and  he  was  beheaded. 

Growth  of  British  Christianity 

Peace  came  to  the  Church  A.  D.  313,  when  the 
emperor  Constantino,  the  son  of  a  British  woman, 
became  a  convert.  In  the  following  year  (314), 
three  Bishops  from  York,  London,  and  Caerleon 
Avere  present  at  the  Council  of  Aries  in  France. 
Other  British  Bishops  attended  the  Council  of 
Sardica  in  347,  and  Ariminium,  359.  The  Church 
also  became  missionary,  and  established  Churches 
in  Scotland.  Among  the  religious  centres  estab- 
lished was  the  monastery  of  lona  by  St.  Columba. 
From  this  place,  in  after  years,  Aidan  and  others 
were  sent,  who  labored  in  the  Xorth  of  England 
among  the  Saxons.  Scotland  evangelized  Ireland. 
Some  robbers  invaded  the  Clyde  and  sold  their 
captives  in  Ireland.  Among  them  was  a  youth  of 
sixteen  named  Succoth,  but  who,  owing  to  his  noble 
birth,  was  surnamed  Patrick.  Both  his  father  and 
grandfather  were  clergymen.  After  six  years  of 
captivity  he  made  his  escape.  A  second  time  he 
was  taken  by  the  pirates,  and  on  this  occasion  car- 
ried to  Gaul  (France),  where  he  attracted  the 
attention  of  some  Christian  merchants.     They  re- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       113 

stored  hiui  to  his  friends.  He  bad  become  imbued 
with  the  idea  of  teaching  the  faith  to  the  heathen 
among  ^vhoni  he  had  been  a  slave.  For  this  pur- 
pose he  was  educated,  and  in  due  time  consecrated 
''Bishop  of  the  Irish."  At  the  Reformation,  the 
Bishops  in  succession  from  St.  Patrick  accepted  the 
change,  so  that  the  Church  of  Ireland,  in  commun- 
ion with  the  Church  of  England,  is  the  lineal 
descendant  of  that  great  saint,  and  the  Roman 
Church  now  on  the  island  is  a  new  creation,  its 
Bishops  having  been  consecrated  elsewhere,  having 
no  connection  with  St.  Patrick. 

Arrival  of  the  Saxons 

When  the  Roman  emperor  withdrew  his  forces 
from  Britain  (A.  D.  450),  the  Picts  and  Scots  so 
pressed  upon  the  natives  that  thej  invited  certain 
Teutonic  tribes  to  assist  in  repelling  the  attacks. 
This  brought  over  from  Europe  the  Jutes,  Angles, 
and  Saxons  (450  to  530).  These  took  possession 
of  the  land  and  drove  the  Britons  to  Cornwall  and 
Wales.  The  Saxons  were  heathen.  The  continual 
hostility  which  existed  between  them  and  the  Brit- 
ons prevented  the  latter  from  carrying  on  any 
evangelistic  work  among  the  former.  The  conse- 
quence was  that  throughout  England  the  ancient 
churches  were  destroyed.  But  in  Wales  the  organ- 
ization was  maintained.  Xew  sees  were  estab- 
lished, as  Llandaff,  Bangor,  St.  Asaph,  and  St. 
David.      Among   the   lights   of   this   period   were 


114       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

King  Arthur  and  his  Round  Table,  the  knights  of 
which  went  in  search  of  the  Holv  Grail.  This 
ancient  British  Church  in  Wales  afterAvards  lent 
assistance  in  the  conversion  of  the  Saxons,  and  in 
1115  became  united  Avith  the  English  Church  as  a 
part  of  the  province  of  Canterbury. 

Gregory  and  the  Slaves 

The  Anglo-Saxons  were  a  savage  race.  They 
worshipped  the  god  Woden,  and  propitiated  him 
with  human  sacrifices.  They  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive traffic  in  slaves,  and  even  sold  in  the  mar- 
kets of  Europe  their  own  kindred.  Some  fair- 
haired  Yorkshire  lads  in  the  Roman  slave  market 
attracted  the  attention  of  Gregory,  the  abbot  of  one 
of  the  most  important  monasteries  of  the  city.  He 
asked  them  the  name  of  their  race,  their  coun- 
try, and  their  king,  and  in  rejoinder  to  their 
answers  he  gave  characteristic  replies.  They  were 
x^ngles;  he  said  they  must  become  angels.  Their 
province  was  Deira;  they  must  be  rescued  de  Ira 
Dei  (from  the  Avrath  of  God).  Their  king  was 
Ella,  who  must  have  alleluias  sung  in  his  domin- 
ions. Beneath  this  trifling  there  Avas  a  serious- 
ness, Avhich  took  shape  in  his  starting  to  couA^ert 
these  people  himself.  The  citizens  of  Rome  could 
not  spare  so  valuable  a  man.  They  compelled  his 
return,  and  soon  made  him  Bishop  of  Rome  (A.  D. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       115 

590).  The  conversation  with  the  slaves  was  not 
forgotten,  and  in  596  he  sent  Augustine  with  a 
band  of  missionaries  to  England. 

The  Conning  of  Augustine 

Augustine  and  his  band  started  on  their  jour- 
ney, tarrying  for  a  while  in  France,  where,  learn- 
ing the  barbarous  character  of  the  Angles,  they 
thought  of  abandoning  the  mission.  But  Gregory 
would  not  listen  to  it.  They  Avere  all  Benedictines 
(see  page  101),  and  obedience  was  one  of  the  fun- 
damental rules  of  the  order.  In  597  they  reached 
Canterbury,  in  Kent,  where  they  found  that  the 
Queen  was  Bertha,  daughter  of  the  King  of  Paris, 
and  a  Christian,  who  was  permitted  to  exercise  her 
religion.  A  day  was  appointed  for  an  interview 
with  the  king.  The  missionaries  approached  in 
solemn  procession.  One  carried  a  silver  cross, 
another  bore  a  banner  with  the  Saviour's  picture, 
and  as  they  advanced  they  chanted  a  litany.  They 
were  well  received,  allowed  to  preach  to  the  people, 
and  on  Whitsunday  of  the  same  year  King  Ethel- 
bert  and  his  court  were  baptized.  Augustine  be- 
came first  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  and  his 
'^chair''  is  still  to  be  seen  in  the  Cathedral.  Gradu- 
ally, after  many  vicissitudes,  in  the  course  of  fifty 
years,  each  one  of  the  seven  kingdoms  (heptarchy, 
into  which  England  was  divided)  was  Christian- 
ized. 


116       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Augustine  and  the  British   Bishops 

St.  Augustine  was  surj^rised  to  find  a  British 
Church  to  the  west,  fully  organized,  with  its  Bish- 
ojDS  and  liturgy.  But  the  British  Church  had  been 
cut  off  from  intercourse  with  the  rest  of  Christen- 
dom for  nearly  150  years,  and  certain  minor  differ- 
ences had  sprung  up.  They  kept  Easter  on  a 
different  day,  according  to  an  old  astronomical 
mode  of  making  the  calculation.  There  were  some 
other  points  Avhich  might  have  been  adjusted,  had 
Augaistine  been  less  arrogant.  A  sjmod  was  held 
between  him  and  the  British  Bishops,  which  was 
unsuccessful  in  uniting  the  two.  Some  centuries 
elapsed  before  the  union  was  brought  about. 

Blending  of  the  Missions 

The  conversions  made  by  Augustine  and  his 
followers  were  not  permanent.  The  various 
regions  visited  by  them  lapsed  into  idolatry.  Then 
came  help  from  the  monastery  of  lona  and  the 
Celtic  Christians,  which  resulted  in  the  final  con- 
version of  the  nation.  Those  who  were  instru- 
mental in  the  work  on  the  part  of  the  Celts  were 
Cedd  and  Aidan.  The  Italians  had  a  noble  repre- 
sentative in  Theodore,  a  Greek,  who  was  made 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury  in  669.  He  completed 
the  organization  of  the  Church  by  dividing  the 
dioceses  into  parishes.  He  imited  the  two  missions 
in  the  person  of  Chad,  consecrated  by  one  Roman 
and  two  British  Bishops,  and  from  this  time  the 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       117 

lines  blended.  This  historic  fact  is  commemorated 
in  the  front  of  the  Cathedral  of  Lichfield,  Chad's 
old  diocese.  In  niches  on  one  side  of  the  main 
entrance  are  statues  of  the  British  Bishops.  On 
the  other  side  are  statues  of  Bishops  in  succession 
from  Home.  These  two  lines  significantly  meet 
over  the  gTeat  door. 

The  First  Appeal  to  Rome 

In  the  year  677  the  large  diocese  of  York  be- 
came vacant  by  the  King  banishing  its  Bishop, 
Wilfrid.     Thereupon  Bishop  Theodore  subdivided 
it  into  four,  without  consulting  Wilfrid,  who  ap- 
pealed to   Rome.      The   Pope  felt  flattered,    and 
summoned  a  council  to  consider  the  case.      The 
assembly  pronounced  in  Wilfrid's  favor.     He  tri- 
umphantly returned  to  England,  and  demanded  in 
the  Pope's  authority  to  be  restored.     The  :N'orth- 
umbrian  Witan  (parliament)  was  incensed  at  his 
attempt  to  introduce  a  foreig-n  jurisdiction.     They 
burnt  the  papal  letters,  and  sentenced  Wilfrid  to 
punishment,  from  which  he  was  released  on  the 
promise  to  stay  out  of  the  kingdom.    His  after  life 
was  checkered,  and  after  another  appeal  to  Rome 
and  its  rejection  he  accepted  the  divided  diocese. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  struggle  with  Rome, 
which  lasted  900  years  and  ended,  as  it  began,  by 
the  entire  rejection  of  any  foreign  intrusion. 


118      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Growth  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  Church 

From  the  time  the  two  missions,  the  Roman  and 
Celtic,  nnited,  the  Church  grew  apace.  She  in  her 
turn  became  missionary,  and  sent  out  in  716  Win- 
frid,  better  known  as  St.  Boniface,  the  Apostle  of 
Germany.  Many  of  the  endowments  now  pos- 
sessed by  the  Church  of  England  date  from  this 
early  period.  The  Church  has  been  a  benefactor 
to  the  State.  In  the  sixth,  seventh,  and  eighth 
centuries,  England  was  divided  into  many  king- 
doms, called  the  heptarchy.  From  the  outset  the 
Church  was  united  by  the  same  faith,  ministry, 
and  sacraments.  This  gi-adually  led  to  the  king- 
doms of  the  heptarchy  being  merged  into  one. 
Green,  in  his  History  of  the  English  People,  says, 
'Tt  was  the  ecclesiastical  synods  which  by  their 
example  led  the  way  to  our  national  parliament,  as 
it  was  the  canons  enacted  in  such  s}Tiods  which  led 
the  way  to  a  national  system  of  law." 

Alfred  and  Bede 

Among  the  bright  lights  of  this  period  were 
King  Alfred  the  Great  and  the  Venerable  Bede. 
Alfred  (871-901)  was  a  very  pious  man,  devoutly 
served  God,  and  tried  to  elevate  his  people  both  in 
civilization  and  religion.  Among  his  literary 
works  was  a  translation  of  a  portion  of  the  Psalter 
into  the  vernacular.  The  Venerable  Bede  spent 
fifty-six  years  of  his  life  in  a  cloister,  engaged  in 
literary    work.      He   labored    to    his    dying    day. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       119 

which  was  Ascension  Day,  735.  His  disciple, 
Ciithbert,  gives  us  an  account  of  his  death.  From 
the  beginning  of  April  to  the  end  of  May,  he  con- 
tinued to  sink  rapidly  under  an  attack  of  asthma. 
He  was  dictating  a  translation  into  Anglo-Saxon, 
of  St.  John's  Gospel.  ^'Master,"  said  one  of  the 
young  monks,  ^ 'there  is  but  one  chapter  left,  but 
thou  canst  ill  bear  questioning."  ''Write  quickly 
on,"  said  Bede.  By  sunset  the  work  was  finished. 
Scarcely  had  the  amanuensis  transcribed  the  last 
word  when  the  venerable  monk  said,  "It  is  done," 
seated  himself  on  the  floor,  where  he  was  wont  to 
kneel  in  prayer.  He  recited  the  Gloria  Patri,  and, 
with  its  "x\men,"  died. 

The  Norman  Conquest 

When  William  of  ]!^ormandy,  in  1066,  con- 
quered England,  a  change  took  place  in  the 
Church's  position,  and  part  of  her  ancient  inde- 
pendence was  lost.  William  had  received  a  bless- 
ing upon  his  invasion  from  the  Pope,  who  disliked 
the  independent  position  of  the  English  Church. 
Two  isTormans  were  appointed  as  Archbishops  of 
Canterbury  and  York,  and  with  some  limitations 
appeals  to  the  Pope  were  permitted.  But  the 
King  maintained  his  own  independence,  and  when 
it  suited  him  to  disregard  the  papal  demands  he 
did  so.  He  enacted  a  law  that  no  Pope  shoiild  be 
recognized  in  England  as  orthodox,  without  his 
approval.     He  forbade  the  receipt  of  papal  letters 


120       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

without  his  permission.  He  refused  to  do  homage 
to  the  Pope,  and  Eoman  canon  law  was  not  permit- 
ted to  have  authority  in  the  realm.  One  impor- 
tant work  was  carried  on  in  his  day.  He  ap- 
pointed Osmund  Bishop  of  Sarum,  who  revised 
the  liturgical  services,  upon  which  the  present 
Prayer  Book  is  based.  Certain  features  of  the 
Saxon  were  combined  with  the  Roman,  and  this 
use  of  Sarum  for  five  hundred  years  was  the  prin- 
cipal one  of  the  kingdom. 

Thomas  a  Becket 

For  a  period  of  fifty  years  the  dispute  concern- 
ing the  investiture  of  ecclesiastics  raged  in  Europe. 
It  broke  out  under  Gregory  VII.,  while  William 
the  Conqueror  was  on  his  throne.  It  grew  out  of 
the  feudal  system,  which  prevailed  during  the 
Middle  Ages.  The  form  of  investiture  consisted 
in  the  delivery  of  a  pastoral  staff,  and  the  placing 
of  a  ring  upon  the  finger,  emblematic,  the  one  of 
the  cure  of  souls,  the  other  of  the  espousals,  as 
it  were,  between  the  pastor  and  his  Church.  Sov- 
ereigns had  been  granting  these  in  consideration 
of  the  temporalities  which  went  with  the  ofiice, 
and  for  which  the  recipient  was  to  do  homage. 
Churchmen  objected  to  the  emblems  of  spiritual 
power  being  bestowed  by  a  layman.  The  contest 
between  Henry  IV.  of  Germany  and  his  succes- 
sors with  the  Popes  brought  on  wars  and  troubles, 
until   at   length    a   compromise   was   reached,    by 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       121 

which  the  Church  bestowed  the  spiritualities  with 
the  ring  and  staff,  and  the  investiture  of  the  tem- 
poralities  was   obtained  bj   touching  the   King's 
sceptre.     The  form  of  this  contest  was  different  in 
England,    but   the   underlying  principle   was   the 
same.     It  existed  between  William  Eufus,  the  suc- 
cessor of  the  Conqueror,  and  Archbishop  Anselm. 
But  the  bitterest  war  between  State  and  Church 
was   between   Henry   II.    and   Thomas   a   Becket 
(1162-1170),  which  nearly  led  to  a  separation  be- 
tween England  and  Rome,   350  years  before  the 
Reformation.     Becket  had  been  Henry's  chancel- 
lor,   and   most    intimate    friend.     He    was   made 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,   and   at   once  became 
transformed  from  the  luxurious  chancellor  to  an 
austere  Benedictine.     Then  commenced  a  conflict 
as  to  which  should  be  supreme  in  temporal  mat- 
ters—Church or   State.      The  King,  nobles,   and 
prelates   were  on   one  side,   the  Archbishop   and 
Pope,  to  whom  he  had  appealed,  on  the  other.     It 
would  take  too  long  to  tell  the  story  of  the  firm- 
ness of  each,  of  the  attempts  at  reconciliation,  and 
finally,  without  the  King's  knowledge,  but  as  the 
result  of  his  rash  words,  of  the  Archbishop's  mur- 
der, in  his  Cathedral,  by  four  knights,  friends  of 
the  King.     The  crime  sent  a  thrill  through  Chris- 
tendom.    The  King,  though  innocent,  felt  remorse, 
and  placed  himself  in  the  hands  of  the  Pope,  who 
inflicted  penance.     The  anti-national  projects  of 
Becket,  by  his  martyrdom,  "were  at  once  invested 


122      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

with  a  divine  halo."  His  shrine  became  the  most 
popular  in  England,  until  the  Keformation.  Mir- 
acles were  attributed  to  his  relics,  and  he  became 
more  powerful  in  death  than  in  life. 

Magna  Charta 

One  of  the  sons  of  Henry  II.  was  John,  the 
most  contemptible,  perhaps,  of  the  Kings  that  ever 
sat  on  the  English  throne.  He  quarrelled  with 
Pope  Innocent  III.  about  receiving  Stephen  Lang- 
ton  as  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  The  Pope 
placed  the  kingdom  under  an  interdict,  which  for- 
bade any  divine  service  or  sacrament  to  be  per- 
formed. John  remained  obdurate.  Then  he  was 
excommunicated,  and  finally  his  deposition  was 
pronounced,  and  the  crown  offered  to  the  King  of 
France.  John  was  now  frightened,  and  surren- 
dered to  the  Pope's  legate  his  crown,  robes,  sword, 
and  ring,  which  the  legate  kept  for  a  few  days,  and 
then  restored.  This  made  England  a  fief  of  the 
Pope.  The  people  were  indignant.  They  cried, 
Shame !  However,  his  action  had  saved  the  coun- 
try from  a  foreign  invasion.  The  French  army 
was  ordered  to  disband.  John  received  the  new 
Archbishop,  who  pronounced  absolution,  and  the 
Pope  was  satisfied.  John  then  had  a  contest  with 
his  barons,  overriding  their  rights  and  otherwise 
tyrannizing  over  both  nation  and  Church.  With 
the  Archbishop  at  their  head,  the  barons  and  prel- 
ates   demanded    redress.      Again    the    King    was 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       123 

alarmed.  At  Langton's  dictation  he  granted  the 
Great  Charter,  the  first  clause  of  which  runs,  ^'The 
Church  of  England  shall  be  free,  and  hold  her 
rights  entire,  and  her  liberties  inviolate."  John 
appealed  to  the  Pope,  who  objected  to  the  Charter, 
especially  to  the  first  clause,  and  absolved  the  King 
from  keeping  his  oath.  The  nobles  stood  firm. 
The  Pope  ordered  Langton  and  the  other  Bishops 
to  excommunicate  them,  but  the  prelates  refused  to 
obey,  and  thus  the  holy  see  was  brought  into  con- 
tempt. The  nation  sided  against  the  King  and 
Pope.  It  is  to  this  Charter,  won  by  the  Church, 
that  Englishmen  to-day  trace  their  liberties,  and 
that  America  appealed  at  the  Revolution. 

Further  Opposition  to  Rome 

From  Gregory  VII.,  for  several  centuries  the 
papal  claims  grew  more  arrogant.  Though  Eng- 
land passed  laws  in  opposition,  the  spirit  of  the 
times,  the  political  importance  of  the  Pope,  and 
the  delivery  of  many  parishes  into  the  hands  of 
the  monks,  his  ubiquitous  agents,  increased  his 
opportunities  for  encroachments.  Edward  III. 
(1327-1377)  was  the  most  successful  in  his  resist- 
ance. His  parliament  passed  a  law  of  Pro  visors, 
taking  from  the  Pope  the  right  to  appoint  to  eccle- 
siastical benefices.  This  was  followed  by  the 
statute  Praemunire,  which  placed  under  a  ban  all 
who  appealed  to  the  Pope.     These  statutes  were 


124       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

useful  in  the  period  of  the  Eeformation,  and  were 
the  basis  used  in  throwing  off  papal  supremacy. 

Wicliffe 

Wicliffe  had  been  called  the  ''Morning  Star" 
of  the  Reformation.  He,  too,  was  a  thorn  in  the 
Pope's  side,  and  nearly  lost  his  life  from  opposing 
papal  aggression.  He  translated  the  whole  Bible 
into  the  Vernacular,  and  our  present  version  is  to 
some  extent  based  upon  his.  He  was  opportune  in 
his  work,  for  the  English  language  before  his  day 
was  unsettled,  and  was  then  taking  permanent 
form.  He  wrote,  not  always  discreetly,  against 
transubstantiation,  declared  against  the  worldliness 
and  hypocrisy  of  the  monks,  and  set  in  motion 
the  wheels  of  a  reformation.  His  followers  were 
called  Lollards,  who,  however,  did  not  exactly  rep- 
resent his  views,  but  went  into  extremes.  In  Ger- 
many, Huss  and  Jerome  took  up  his  work,  suffered 
death  in  consequence,  and  became  the  precursors 
of  Luther.  Wicliffe  was  tried  for  heresy,  but  his 
powerful  friend,  eTohn  of  Gaunt,  son  of  Edward 
III.,  secured  him,  and  he  died  in  peace. 

Henry  VIII.  and  His  Divorce 

The  actions  of  Luther  in  Germany  set  England 
on  fire.  She  had  been  restive  under  the  papal 
dominion  and  Roman  doctrine,  and  now  her  chance 
of  escape  came,  although  she  at  first  was  kept  in 
check  by  the  King.     The  Reformation  in  England 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       125 

was  not  individual,  as  on  the  continent,  but 
national.  It  was  accomplished  by  the  Bishops  and 
clergy,  legally  assembled  in  Convocation.  Henry 
VIII.  no  more  established  the  Church  of  England 
than  Josiah  by  his  reforms  established  the  Jewish 
Church.  He  threw  off  the  papal  power,  but  upheld 
the  Roman  system  of  doctrine.  He  executed  alike 
those  who  believed  in  the  Pope  and  those  who 
disbelieved  in  the  Pope's  doctrine.  The  dispute 
between  the  King  and  the  Pope  concerning  his 
divorce  gave  the  Church  of  England  her  oppor- 
tunity. Because  the  Pope,  wishing  to  please 
Charles  V.  of  Germany,  refused  to  grant  Henry  a 
divorce  from  Catherine,  Charles'  aunt,  the  King; 
took  matters  into  his  own  hands,  and  shook  off  the 
Pope's  authority.  He  had  the  Bishops  declare 
his  marriage  with  Catherine,  his  elder  brother's 
widow,  null  and  void,  and  contrary  to  divine  law. 

Steps  in  the  Reformation 

The  tendency  towards  a  reformation  was  mani- 
fest in  England  as  early  as  1512,  when  Wolsey, 
cardinal  Bishop  and  Chancellor,  commenced  devel- 
oping the  educational  element  in  the  monastic 
system.  In  1530  parliament  prohibited  applica- 
tions to  Rome  for  dispensations  from  English  laws. 
In  the  next  year,  money  was  not  allowed  to  be  sent 
as  taxes  to  the  Pope.  The  Convocation  of  the 
Church  in  1531  decreed  that  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
^'has  no  more  authority  given  to  him  by  God  in 


126      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

this  kingdom  than  any  other  foreign  Bishop." 
Two  years  later,  the  Bible  in  English  was  by 
authority  placed  within  the  reach  of  all,  and  in 
1549  the  Prayer  Book  was  translated. 

Doctrinal  Reformation 

Doctrinally,  the  various  corruptions  which  had 
crept  in,  overlaying  the  faith,  were  removed. 
These  errors  consisted  principally  of  grafting  sen- 
timentalism  on  the  truth,  such  as  extravagant 
notions  concerning  purgatory,  the  Cultus  of  the 
Virgin,  the  invocation  of  saints,  the  veneration  of 
relics  and  images,  and  transubstantiation.  In 
matters  of  discipline,  the  clergy  had  been  com- 
pelled to  celibacy,  the  people  to  confession,  and 
the  Communion  was  administered  in  only  one  kind. 
It  was  principally  in  Edward  VI.'s  reigTi  (1547- 
1553),  the  son  of  Henry,  that  these  reforms  were 
accomplished.  When  Mary,  daughter  of  Henry 
and  Catherine  of  Arragon,  ascended  the  throne, 
she  brought  back  the  Roman  system.  The  fires  of 
Smithfield  were  ignited,  and  Bishops  Cranmer, 
Latimer,  and  Ridley,  and  other  reformers,  were 
burnt,  for  their  devotion  to  the  Church  free  from 
a  foreign  yoke  and  doctrinal  errors.  Elizabeth, 
another  daughter  of  Henry  by  Anne  Boleyn, 
brought  back  the  reformed  system,  which  has  lasted 
to  the  present  day,  blessing  the  Anglo-Saxon  race 
far  and  wide.     The  Pope  hoped  he  could  win  over 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       127 

Elizabeth  as  he  did  Mary,  but  she  was  firm  iu 
maintaining  the  liberties  of  her  country  and  her 
Church.  At  length,  in  1570,  he  excommunicated 
her,  and  released  her  subjects  from  their  allegiance. 
Only  189  out  of  9,000  English  clergy  obeyed  his 
commands.  This  handful  started  the  Roman 
schism  in  England.  The  papal  bull  incited  the 
Spanish  Armada  against  England.  This  was  de- 
feated, and  after  that  time  the  troubles  of  the 
Church  were  from  within  rather  than  from 
without. 

Contest  with  the  Puritans 

]^o  sooner  was  the  Church  freed  from  Roman- 
ism, than  a  new  danger  arose  which  threatened  her 
existence,  and  almost  strangled  her  life.  Puritan- 
ism is  as  inimical  to  the  Church  Christ  instituted 
as  is  the  papacy.  It  was  founded  upon  opposition 
to  everything  which  Rome  possessed,  whether  it 
was  episcopacy,  or  a  surplice,  or  a  Prayer  Book, 
or  keeping  Christmas  and  Easter.  It  forgot  that 
Rome  observes  Sunday,  baptizes,  and  believes  in  a 
Saviour.  Its  inconsistency  was  its  downfall.  It 
gave  trouble  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  it  gathered 
force  under  James,  became  violent  under  Charles, 
and  beheaded  him.  It  drove  out  the  Bishops,  and 
forbade  the  use  of  the  Prayer  Book.  As  long  as 
Oliver  Cromwell  lived  he  held  things  with  a  firm 
hand,  but  on  his  death  the  people  gladly  welcomed 
the  crown  and  the  Church.     Charles  II.  was  re- 


128       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

stored  to  the  crown  in  1660.  In  1662  the  Prayer 
Book  was  revised,  and  has  since  remained  un- 
altered in  England. 

The  Seven  Bishops 

Charles  II.  was  succeeded  by  his  brother  James 
II.,  a  Koman  Catholic,  who  wished  to  subvert  the 
Church  and  deliver  England  back  to  the  Pope.  He 
tried  to  compel  the  Bishops  and  clergy  to  assist 
him  in  the  work,  taking  for  granted  their  coopera- 
tion, because  in  the  time  of  his  father  they  had 
taught  passive  obedience  to  the  civil  power.  When 
the  act  of  uniformity  was  passed  in  1662,  penalties 
were  imposed  upon  all  dissenters  of  whatever  class, 
whether  Eomanists  or  Protestants,  and  they  were 
deprived  of  the  right  to  hold  office.  James  wished 
to  dispense  with  this,  so  that  Eoman  Catholics 
might  be  placed  in  authority,  both  in  Church  and 
State.  He  demanded  that  the  clergy  should  read 
in  their  churches  this  dispensing  act.  Kearly  all 
refused.  He  imprisoned  seven  of  the  Bishops, 
and  had  them  tried  for  treason.  They  were  ac- 
quitted. The  nation  was  alarmed,  and  the  Church 
became  the  mainstay  of  its  liberties.  To  the  credit 
of  the  Protestant  dissenters,  they  sided  with  the 
Church,  willing  to  suffer  the  penalties  of  noncon- 
formity rather  than  have  a  door  open  for  the  Pope 
to  obtain  a  foothold.  James  felt  compelled  to 
abandon  his  throne.  His  daughter,  Mary,  and  her 
husband,  William,  were  invited  to  take  his  place. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       129 

They  died  without  children.  Mary's  sister  and 
successor,  Anne,  was  also  childless.  Thereupon 
Parliament  passed  an  act  transferring  the  cro^vn  to 
the  Protestant  House  of  Hanover.  This  brought 
in  the  four  Georges,  under  whom  the  Church  suf- 
fered, not  so  much  by  persecution  as  by  neglect. 

The  Eighteenth  Century 

The  first  two  Georges  were  trained  in  Lutheran- 
ism,  and  one  of  them  never  learnt  the  English 
language.  To  him  England  was  a  foreign  country, 
over  which  he  ruled.  The  Church  was  placed  at 
a  disadvantage.  When  attacked,  and  she  under- 
took her  defence,  her  Convocation  was  silenced 
(1717)  and  remained  so  for  135  years.  Worldly 
Bishops  were  appointed  to  office,  some  of  whom 
never  visited  their  dioceses.  The  lesser  clergy 
imitated  the  examples  of  their  superiors.  Spir- 
itual life  fell  to  a  low  ebb.  Infidelity  largely  pre- 
vailed under  the  leadership  of  such  men  as  Hume, 
Bolingbroke,  and  Tindall.  While  they  were  met 
by  a  score  of  writers  on  Christian  evidences,  as 
Butler,  Paley,  and  Watson,  much  evil  was  done  to 
immature  minds.  The  effect  of  all  this  was  a 
stagnation  in  religion,  so  that  devout  hearts  wept 
over  the  prevailing  impiety. 

The  Wesleys 

A  great  awakening  came  through  the  instm- 
mentality  of  the  two  Wesleys,  which,  however,  in 


130       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  end  took  a  turn  to  dissent,  not  agreeable  to, 
indeed  reprobated  by,  the  prime  movers.  John 
and  Charles  Wesley  were  the  sons  of  the  rector  of 
Epworth  parish.  Their  father  and  mother  were 
the  offspring  of  Puritan  ministers,  who  had  been 
ejected  after  the  Reformation.  Yet  both  discarded 
the  principles  of  their  parents,  and  adopted  those 
knoA\Ti  as  High  Church.  At  Oxford,  John  and 
Charles,  with  a  few  undergraduates,  met  every 
night  for  mutual  improvement  and  devotion. 
They  spent  their  spare  time  in  giving  religious  in- 
struction in  jails  and  workhouses.  They  paid 
strict  attention  to  fast  days,  and  received  the  Com- 
munion every  Sunday.  They  believed  in  the  Real 
Presence  in  the  Eucharist,  used  mixed  chalice  and 
Eastward  position.  In  this  way  they  obtained  the 
soubriquet  of  Methodist.  Association  with  some 
Moravians  taught  them  the  doctrine  of  conscious 
conversion.  To  assist  them  in  the  work  of  preach- 
ing, they  appointed  lay  preachers,  but  all  those 
joining  their  society  attended  the  Church  services, 
and  went  to  church  for  the  sacraments.  When 
the  lay  preachers  commenced  exercising  priestly 
functions,  Charles  withdrew.  John  preached  his 
great  Korah  sermon  against  their  practices.  But 
the  movement  more  and  more  drifted  into  schism. 
After  the  death  of  John,  the  English  conference  at 
first  refused  to  allow  the  lay  preachers  to  admin- 
ister the  Communion,  but  in  four  years  the  pro- 
hibition was  removed,  and  the  schism  completed. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       131 

When  at  the  age  of  eighty-one,  he  was  induced  to 
lay  hands  on  Coke,  to  be  superintendent  of  the 
societies  in  America.  This  misstep  his  brother 
Charles  ridiculed  and  deplored.  Too  late,  he  be- 
gan to  warn  his  followers,  ^'In  God's  name  stop. 
Be  Church  of  England  men  still."  While  it  is  true 
he  was  not  welcomed  by  the  clergy,  who  in  their 
worldliness  were  alarmed  at  the  religious  excite- 
ment, and  subjective  emotions  stirred  up,  yet  in 
many  cases  their  actions  were  self-defensive.  His 
principle  of  action  was  false,  in  saying  '^The  world 
is  my  parish."  Such  an  idea  can  only  create  con- 
fusion and  schism,  and  the  parish  priest  must  pro- 
tect his  flock  from  unlawful  invasions. 

The  Evangelical  and  Oxford  Movennents 

Out  of  the  Wesleyan  movement  grew  the  Evan- 
gelical, under  the  leadership  of  such  men  as  Venn, 
Eomaine,  William  Wilberforce,  and  Hannah 
More.  The  result  was  the  organization  of  the 
Eeligious  Tract  Society  (1799),  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  (1800),  and  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  (1804).  Some  idea  of  their  work  may  be 
seen  in  a  few  statistics.  The  Bible  Society  has 
distributed  over  125,000,000  copies  of  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, and  translated  them  into  over  100  languages 
and  dialects.  The  Missionary  Society  in  1899 
raised  $1,500,000  in  money  and  had  6,000  mis- 
sionary laborers  in  the  field.  Succeeding  the  Evan- 
gelical came  the  Oxford  Movement,  as  often  called 


132       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  Tractariaii,  from  the  ^^Tracts  for  the  Times" 
published  bj  Keble,  i^ewman,  Pusey,  and  others, 
from  1833  to  1841.  The  neglected  parts  of  the 
Prayer  Book  were  brought  to  notice,  and  stress  was 
laid  upon  distinctive  Church  doctrines,  as  the 
Apostolical  Succession,  the  nature  and  meaning  of 
the  sacraments,  the  continuity  of  the  Church,  and 
its  divine  character.  An  awakening  took  place. 
A  few,  having  been  hounded  in  their  ov%^n  Church, 
sought  refuge  in  the  Roman.  But  the  vast  body  of 
the  Oxford  men  saw  the  error  of  such  a  step,  and 
remained  loyal.  The  result  of  this  awakening  has 
been  more  reverent  services  in  worshipping  the 
Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness,  more  frequent  serv- 
ices, daily  in  many  places,  the  erection  of  new 
churches,  beautiful  music  and  dignified  architec- 
ture, with  a  truer  appreciation  of  real  Catholic 

doctrine. 

The   Expansion  of  the  Church 

After  the  Reformation,  the  Church  of  England 
was  truly  insular.  She  did  not  expand  with  the 
empire.  The  separation  of  the  American  colonies, 
the  securing  of  the  episcopate  for  America,  and  the 
organization  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  has 
changed  all  this.  She  is  now  co-extensive  with  the 
empire,  and  is  also  carrying  on  work  in  many 
heathen  lands.  At  home,  in  the  Victorian  reign, 
she  has  increased  the  episcopate,  founded  hospitals, 
orphanages,  and  schools,  and  revived  the  monastic 
life,  adapted  to  modern  times.    In  1867  an  invita- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  ENGLAND       133 

tion  was  issued  to  all  the  Bishops  of  the  Anglican 
Connnunion  to  assemble  at  Lambeth,  London. 
Seventy-six  accepted.  That  experiment  has  de- 
veloped into  the  '^Lambeth  Conference/'  which 
meets  in  sessions  about  ten  years  apart  under  the 
presidency  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury.  It  is 
a  consultative  body,  making  recommendation  as  to 
matters  of  policy  throughout  the  world,  but  not  a 
legislative  body.  At  the  present  time  there  are 
more  than  300  Bishops,  34,000  clergy,  and 
30,000,000  adherents,  the  largest  Christian  body 
of  the  leading  race  and  language  of  the  world. 

A  Chronological  Table 
A.D. 

29 — Day  of  Pentecost,  Birth  of  the  Church. 

54 — Caractacus,  a  British  king,  prisoner  at  Rome,  meets 
St.  Paul   (?). 

60 — St.    Joseph   of   Arimathea    is    said   to   have   founded 
Glastonbury. 
170 — King  Lucius  sends  to  Rome  for  Christian  teachers  ( ?). 
193— Tertullian  testifies  to  the  faith  in  Britain  (  ?). 
304— Martyrdom  of  St.  Alban. 

314 — Three  British  Bishops  at  the  Council  of  Aries. 
325 — Council  of  Nice. 

347 — British  Bishops  at  the  Council  of  Sardica. 
432 — St.  Patrick  becomes  "Bishop  of  the  Irish." 
477 — Saxons  settle  in  the  south  of  England  and  drive  the 

Britons  westwardly. 
597 — St.  Augustine  lands  near  Canterbury. 
603 — Conference  between  Augustine  and  British  Bishops. 
669 — Theodore  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 
678 — Wilfrid  carried  the  first  appeal  to  Rome.     The  Pope's 

decision  is  rejected. 
735 — Death  of  Venerable  Bede. 
871-901— Alfred  the  Great,  King  of  England. 


134       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

960-988 — Diinstan,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

1066— William  the  Conqueror  lands  in  England. 

1085 — Osmund,  Bishop  of  Sarum,  compiles  his  liturgy. 

1115— Union  of  the  Welsh  Church  with  the  Province  of 
Canterbury. 

1154 — Nicholas  Brakespeare,  known  as  Adrian  IV.,  first 
and  only  English  Pope.  He  gave  Ireland  to  the 
King  of  England. 

1162-1174— Thomas  a  Becket,  Archbishop,  and  his  contest 
with  Henry  II. 

1215— Stephen  Langton,  Archbishop,  and  the  nobles  compel 
King  John  to  sign  Magna  Charta. 

1247 — Grostete,  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  opposes  papal  aggres- 
sions. 

1351— First  statute  of  Provisors  against  papal  encroach- 
ments on  patronage. 

1360-1384— Wicliffe  flourished. 

1363 — First  statute  Praemunire  against  papal  jurisdiction 
in  England. 

1521 — Henry  VIII.  writes  against  Luther. 

1527 — Henry  VIII.  commences  his  divorce  proceedings. 

1534— Convocation  declares  against  papal  supremacy  and 
jurisdiction. 

1547 — Edward  VI.  ascends  the  throne. 

1549— First  English  Prayer  Book. 

1553-1558— Queen  Mary  and  her  persecutions. 

1558-1603 — Queen  Elizabeth. 

1570— Pope  Pius  V.  incites  the  English  to  disloyalty,  ex- 
communicates Elizabeth,  and  with  189  out  of  9,000 
of  the  Church  of  England  clergy  starts  the  Roman 
Schism. 

1642 — Civil  war  begins. 

1643— Westminster  Assembly,  Calvinism  adopted  by  the 
Presbyterians. 

1645— Directory  substituted  for  the  Prayer  Book. 

1649— Charles  I.  beheaded. 

1660— Restoration  of  Charles  II. 

1662 — Present  English  Prayer  Book  adopted. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  OF  EXGLAXD       135 

1688— James  II.  abandons  the  throne,  after  an  unsuccessful 
attempt  to  restore  Romanism. 

1690— Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  founded. 

1701— Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  founded. 

1717 — Convocation  silenced. 

1739 — Wesley  develops  his  society. 

1"87 — American  and  first  colonial  Bishop  consecrated. 

1800 — Church  Missionary  Society  organized. 

1833-1841— Tracts  for  the  Times. 

1852 — Convocation  reassembles. 

1867 — 1st  Pan- Anglican  Conference. 

1886 — House  of  Laymen  meets  for  the  first  time. 
1897 — 4th  Pan-Anglican  Conference. 

Among  many  excellent  histories  of  the  Church 
of  England,  for  popular  reading,  and  very  inex- 
pensive as  well  as  profusely  illustrated,  is  Dear- 
mer's  Everyman  s  History  of  ike  English  Church, 
which  costs  only  40  cents. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH    IN   AMERICA 
The  Discovery  of  America 

WHEX  Columbus  sailed  westward  in  that  mo- 
mentous year  1492,  he  was  not  only  moved 
by  the  spirit  of  adventure  and  commercial  enter- 
prise, but  also  by  a  desire  to  extend  the  Gospel  to 
other  lands.  His  discovery  gave  Spain  the  right 
to  claim  the  whole  of  America,  but  Providence  in- 
tended otherwise.  Henry  VII.  sent  John  Cabot  on 
a  voyage,  in  w^hich  he  discovered  ^orth  America. 
Thereupon  England  said  that  this  gave  her  the 
right  to  claim  that  part  of  the  continent.  Another 
claimant  appeared  upon  the  scene  in  the  person  of 
the  French  nation.  The  result  of  all  this  was,  that 
the  southern  part  of  the  continent  fell  to  Spain, 
while  the  northern  part,  now  known  as  Canada, 
was  settled  by  the  French.  Between  the  two, 
from  Maine  to  Georgia  inclusive,  England  colon- 
ized. In  the  eighteenth  century,  the  French  pos- 
sessions were  transferred  to  England.  Since  the 
Revolution,  the  United  States,  by  her  various  ex- 
pansions, has  absorbed,  from  what  was  once  Span- 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA       137 

ish  and  French  territory,  Florida,  Texas,  and  the 
vast  country  west  of  the  Mississippi.  Thus  the 
whole  of  the  continent  north  of  the  Kio  Grande  is 
settled  by  the  Anglo-Saxon,  and,  of  course,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  religion  and  Church  have  a  large 
influence. 

First   English   Service 

On  January  1st,  1894,  a  huge  stone  cross  was 
unveiled  in  one  of  the  parks  of  San  Francisco.  It 
was  erected  by  George  W.  Childs,  of  Philadelphia, 
to  commemorate  an  important  event,  of  which  the 
inscription  informs  us,  ''A  Memorial  of  the  service 
held  on  the  shores  of  Drake's  Bay,  about  St.  John's 
Day,  June  24th,  A.  D.  1579,  by  Francis  Fletcher, 
Priest  of  the  Church  of  England,  Chaplain  of  Sir 
Francis  Drake,  Chronicler  of  the  Service."  On 
the  reverse  side,  'Tirst  Christian  service  in  the 
English  tongue  on  our  coast,  First  use  of  the  Book 
of  Common  Prayer  in  our  country."  The  first 
baptism  of  a  white  person  in  America  was  that  of 
Virginia  Dare,  who  was  born  in  what  is  now  ^N'orth 
Carolina  in  1585  of  a  woman  who  had  accom- 
panied one  of  the  expeditions  sent  out  by  Sir  Wal- 
ter Raleigh.  Most  of  these  settlers  were  lost  be- 
fore they  could  be  rescued ;  among  them  w^as  little 
Virginia  Dare.  It  is  said  that,  a  half  century 
later,  Indians  were  found  along  the  Potomac  with 
blue  eyes  and  brown  hair.  Probably  they  were 
descendants  of  the  ill-fated  colony. 


138       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Virginia 

Only  short  sketches  can  be  given  of  the  Church 
in  a  few  of  the  colonies.  The  first  permanent  Eng- 
lish settlement  was  at  Jamesto^vn,  Virginia,  in 
1607.  The  first  act  of  the  settlers  was  to  kneel  and 
hear  the  chaplain  read  prayers  and  say  a  thanks- 
giving for  a  safe  voyage.  The  first  church  was  '^a 
few  ])o[es  with  a  sail  for  a  roof."  Here,  the  first 
Communion  in  English  was  administered  in  Amer- 
ica. The  Church  was  the  Church  of  the  colony, 
from  the  beginning,  and  its  statesmen.  Washing-ton, 
Jefferson,  Madison,  and  a  host  of  others,  were 
trained  by  its  catechism  and  liturgy.  If  religion 
ebbed,  it  was  partly  from  neglect  of  the  Church  at 
home.  The  episcopate  was  not  provided,  and  the 
mother  country  often  sent  over  the  broken  dowTi 
and  immoral  clergy  who  could  find  no  parishes  in 
England. 

The  Puritans 

In  1620,  on  Plymouth  Eock,  a  band  of  pilgrims 
were  landed,  who  in  matters  of  religion  were  en- 
tirely different  from  the  preceding.  At  first  the 
Puritans  were  not  dissenters,  but  their  principles 
tended  in  that  direction,  and  the  inevitable  was 
bound  to  come.  They  emigrated  from  England 
partly  because  they  would  not  have  their  con- 
sciences bound  by  acts  of  uniformity,  and  unfor- 
tunately, in  these  days,  persecution  resulted.  They 
sought  refuge  in  America,     Then  the  tables  were 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IX  AMERICA       139 

turned,  and  the  Puritans  for  a  time  persecuted 
Churchmen,  yes,  and  all  others  who  did  not  agree 
with  them.  Rogers  ^Yillianls,  the  Baptist,  as  much 
a  Puritan  as  the  best  of  them,  was  banished.  When 
toleration  came,  the  Church  secured  a  strong  foot- 
ing in  many  of  the  villages.  In  1722,  Dr.  Cutler. 
President  of  Yale  College,  and  two  other  profes- 
sors, after  reading  and  using  the  Book  of  Common 
Prayer  among  themselves,  announced  their  inten- 
tion to  secure  episcopal  orders.  Xew  England  was 
shocked,  and  the  Church  received  a  forward  im- 
petus. 

Maryland 

The  charter  of  this  colony  was  different  in 
its  character  from  the  preceding,  for  it  con- 
tained a  special  clause  for  the  toleration  of 
all  kinds  of  Christians.  It  has  generally  been  sup- 
posed that  this  was  obtained  by  Lord  Baltimore,  a 
Roman  Catholic,  who  wished  a  refuge  where  his 
people  might  exercise  their  religion  without  re- 
straint. But  more  recent  research  has  shown  this 
not  to  be  the  case.  The  clause  was  placed  in  the 
charter  to  secure  for  Churchmen  toleration  in  a 
Roman  Catholic  colony  which  otherwise  would  not 
have  gTanted  it.  The  first  settlers  landed  on  An- 
nunciation Day,  1684,  when  the  priest  said  a  mass 
of  thanksgiving.  As  Churchmen  had  a  home  in 
Virginia,  and  the  Puritans  in  England,  so  the 
Romanists  would  find  one  in  Maryland.     Strange 


140       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

to  saj,  in  a  few  years,  the  Churchmen  outnum- 
bered all  the  other  colonists,  and  the  Church  was 
established,  and  remained  so  until  the  Revolution. 
The  clergy  were  about  the  same  stamp  of  men  as  in 
Virginia.  The  inhabitants  petitioned  the  Bishop 
of  London,  to  whose  diocese  all  the  colonies  be- 
longed, and  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  for 
more  and  better  clergy.  They  signed  themselves 
^Trotestant  Catholics."  After  the  Eevolution,  it 
was  in  Maryland  that  the  name  "Protestant  Epis- 
copal" was  formally  adopted,  and  afterwards  it 
became  the  name  by  which  the  Church  was  known 
in  legal  phraseology  all  over  the  United  States. 

New  York 

'New  York  was  settled  by  the  Dutch  as  early  as 
1621.  They  were  Presbyterians,  but  of  a  different 
stamp  from  the  Scotch.  They  were  non-episcopal 
from  necessity,  having  lost  their  Bishops  in  the 
Reformation  struggle.  They  also  practised  relig- 
ious toleration,  having  learnt  it  before  all  others  in 
the  school  of  persecution.  In  1664  the  colony  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  English,  and  the  Church  came 
with  the  conquerors.  As  the  Dutch  had  no  con- 
scientious scruples  against  episcopacy,  and  had  in 
a  measure  retained  the  Church  idea,  many  of  them 
conformed.  In  1697  Trinity  parish  was  organized 
and  endowed  with  a  farm,  just  north  of  the  then 
city  limits.     As  the  city  spread,  the  land  became 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IX  AMERICA       141 

valuable,   and  thus   it   is  to-day  the   most  richly- 
endowed  religious  corporation  in  the  land. 

Pennsylvania  and   Delaware 

Pennsylvania  and  Delaware  were  first  settled 
by  the  Swedes.  These  people  in  conforming  to 
the  Reformation  retained  the  Episcopate,  a  liturgy, 
and  many  of  the  ancient  customs  of  the  Church. 
Hence  when,  in  1681,  Penn  brought  over  his  colony 
of  Quakers,  and  this  was  followed  by  English 
Churchmen,  the  Swedes  were  very  easily  absorbed 
by  the  Church.  For  a  time  they  always  sent  over 
to  Sweden  for  their  ministers,  and  used  their  own 
liturgy.  As  their  descendants  discarded  the  Swed- 
ish language,  the  Prayer  Book  came  into  use. 
Finally,  when  this  country  secured  Bishops,  their 
connection  with  the  old  country  entirely  ceased. 
Some  of  their  churches  are  still  standing  and  in 
regular  use,  as  Gloria  Dei  in  Philadelphia  (ITOO), 
and  Holy  Trinity,  Wilmington  (1698).  In  1695 
Christ  Church,  Philadelphia,  was  established.  Its 
rector,  William  White,  became  chaplain  of  the 
Continental  Congress.  It  was  the  parish  church  of 
Benjamin  Franklin,  and  of  Washington  during  his 
residence. 

Need  of  the  Episcopate 

Notwithstanding  the  accessions  which  came  to 
the  Church  by  immigration,  by  absorption,  and  by 
conversion,  her  existence  was  a  struggle.     In  1701 


142       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  Foreign 
Parts  was  chartered  in  England.  It  did  valuable 
service  in  the  colonies,  increased  the  stipends  of  the 
clergy,  and  otherwise  encouraged  the  work.  But 
what  was  most  of  all  needed  was  the  episcopate. 
Efforts  had  been  made  to  secure  it,  but  without 
success.  Commissaries  had  been  sent  out,  who 
were  of  great  benefit,  but  they  could  not  remove 
the  burden  upon  every  candidate  for  Holy  Orders 
of  being  compelled  to  twice  cross  the  ocean  for  his 
commission.  Xumbers  were  lost  by  illness  and  in 
shipwreck,  and  others  were  deterred  from  offering 
their  services  to  the  Church  on  account  of  the  haz- 
ardous voyage.  Had  there  been  resident  Bishops, 
the  number  of  absorptions  would  have  been  greater. 
The  Dutch  congregation  in  Philadelphia  offered 
to  come  in  a  body,  if  the  Bishop  of  London  would 
consecrate  their  minister,  but  the  matter  miscar- 
ried. The  Lutheran  Coetus  in  Pennsylvania  made 
the  same  proposition.  With  resident  Bishops  to 
guide  the  Church,  probably  the  Methodists  in  this 
country  would  have  remained  in  the  fold. 

The  Revolution 

Whatever  progress  the  Church  was  making  be- 
fore the  Kevolution,  that  event  set  her  back  for 
fifty  years,  on  account  of  the  action  of  some  of  her 
clergy.  They  had  at  their  ordination  taken  an 
oath  to  the  King,  and  felt  themselves  bound  to 
observe  it.    Many  of  them  received  a  large  portion 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA       143 

of  their  stipend  from  the  Society  for  the  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Gospel,  which  was  withdrawn  from  all 
who  became  ^'rebels."  So  the  Church  lost  her  clergy, 
and  was  in  the  popular  mind  supposed  to  be  identi- 
fied with  torvism  and  everything  English,  although 
many  of  her  clergy  responded  to  the  nation's  call. 
This  taint  adhered  to  her  for  many  years,  and  im- 
peded her  growth.  Her  lay  people  were  generally 
ardent  patriots,  and  it  was  her  children  who  led  in 
the  Revolution.  Washington  and  twenty  of  his 
generals  were  Churchmen.  TAvo-thirds  of  the  sign- 
ers of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  were  the 
same,  and  also  a  similar  proportion  of  the  framers 
of  the  Constitution.  When  peace  was  declared, 
some  years  elapsed  before  the  episcopate  was  ob- 
tained. Then  it  took  a  generation  to  gather  up  the 
fragments  and  to  break  down  popular  prejudice. 

Securing  the  Episcopate 

The  few  clergy  left  in  their  parishes  by  the 
devastation  of  war  assembled  themselves  in  some 
of  the  states  to  consider  matters  pertaining  to  their 
interest,  and,  of  course,  the  burning  question  of 
securing  the  episcopate  was  the  principle  topic  of 
discussion.  Delegates  from  seven  of  the  states 
met  in  Philadelphia  in  1785.  It  began  the  work 
of  organization,  which  resulted  in  a  constitution, 
and  provided  for  a  triennial  convention  of  Bishops 
and  clerical  and  lay  delegates.  It  revised  the  Eng- 
lish Prayer  Book,  but  fortunately  this  work  never 


144       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

went  any  further  than  to  be  known  as  '^The  Pro- 
posed Book.''     Had  it  been  finally  adopted,  the 
Church  in  this  country  would  have  had  a  liturgy 
emasculated  both  in  form  and  matter.     This  con- 
vention also  took  steps  to  secure  the  episcopate. 
Their  ^^ew  England  brethren  had  not  waited  so 
long.    The  Connecticut  clergy  had  met  and  elected 
Dr.  Seabury  to  be  consecrated  Bishop.     He  went 
to  London,   and  after   a  long  delay,   finding  the 
Church  there  so  hampered  by  the  State,  he  turned 
to  the  Scotch  Episcopate.     This  was  the  remnant 
of  the  Church  which,  from  its  loyalty  to  the  royal 
house  of  James,  from  1688  had  been  disestablished 
and   proscribed.      Here    Seabury   met   with   sym- 
pathy, and  in  due  course  of  time  was  consecrated 
in  Aberdeen,   'Nov.    14th,    1784.      The  clergy  in 
the  other  states  preferred  to  secure  the  succession 
through  the  English  line.     Their  efforts  were  re- 
warded when,  in  1787,  Dr.  White  for  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  Dr.  Provoost  for  New  York,  were  con- 
secrated in  Lambeth   chapel,   London.      In   after 
years    the    two    lines    from    Scotland    and    Eng- 
land were  united  in  the  person  of  Bishop  Claggett, 
of  Maryland,  the  first  Bishop  consecrated  in  the 
United    States.     The    Church   thus   became   thor- 
oughly   organized,    and    a   spiritual   unity.      The 
^'Proposed  Book"  was  thrown  aside,   and  a  new 
revision  made,  conforming  very  closely  to  the  Eng- 
lish, which  with  the  exception  of  a  few  additions 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA       145 

aud  alterations,  made  in  1892,  has  since  been  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer  for  the  American  people. 

Missionary   Enterprise 

The  Church  thus  constituted  set  herself  to  save 
what  was  left  of  the  preceding  wreck,  and  to 
gather  strength  to  become  what  she  is  entitled  to 
become,  the  Church  of  the  nation.  In  numbers, 
she  never  has  reached  that  point,  yet  her  influence 
has  always  been  greater  than  her  numbers  seemed 
to  justify.  This  is  partly  due  to  her  history  and 
partly  because  her  dignified  services,  her  concep- 
tion of  beautiful  worship,  her  educating  liturgy, 
have  always  attracted  the  intellectual  and  cultured 
people  of  every  community,  the  people  whose  in- 
fluence directs  the  affairs  of  society.  By  1820  the 
General  Convention  felt  strong  enough  to  organize 
a  missionary  society.  This  was  more  fully  accom- 
plished in  1821,  and,  some  years  later,  missionaries 
were  sent  to  foreign  countries  and  the  Western 
frontier.  Later  the  missionaries  were  followed  by 
Bishops,  and  before  the  close  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury the  entire  area  of  the  United  States  was  cov- 
ered with  well-organized  dioceses  and  missionary 
districts,  each  having  its  own  Bishop.  Successful 
work  is  also  conducted  in  China,  Japan,  and  Li- 
beria in  Africa.  The  corruptions  of  Christianity 
in  countries  to  the  south  of  us,  the  little  impression 
made  upon  the  people's  morals,  and  the  practically 
idolatrous  worship,   have  led  to   successful   work 


14G       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

being  carried  on  by  the  American  Church  in  Haiti, 
Mexico,  and  Brazil. 

Church  Parties 

The  Evangelical  and  Oxford  Movements,  de- 
scribed in  the  History  of  the  Chnrch  of  England 
(page  131)  were  felt  in  this  country.  They 
were  accentuated  in  the  two  great  parties  in  the 
Church,  and  gave  rise  to  much  acrimony,  until  it 
was  found  that  both  were  holding  the  same  great 
truths,  only  viewing  them  from  different  stand- 
points. The  Low  Church  party  was  allied  to 
Evangelicalism.  It  may  be  said  to  represent  the 
subjective  side  of  religion,  and  lays  stress  on  the 
individual's  faith  and  practice.  The  High  Church- 
man gave  expression  to  his  thought  in  the  ^^Tracts 
for  the  Times."  He  maintains  the  objective  side 
of  religion,  and  values  the  visible  Church,  the  Body 
of  Christ,  in  which  are  the  channels  of  sacramental 
grace.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  controversy  could  arise 
between  the  two  parties,  sufficient  almost  to  disrupt 
them.  But  a  calmer  view  will  show  that  the  Unity 
of  the  Church  is  also  dear  to  the  Low  Churchman, 
and  holiness  of  life  to  the  High  Churchman.  A 
contest  raged  between  the  two  for  a  generation, 
from  the  forties  to  the  seventies,  before  they  found 
they  were  both  working  for  the  same  cause.  Two 
other  schools  of  thought  exist  in  the  Church.  First, 
there  are  the  Broad  Churchmen  who  wish  to  be 
tolerant  to  those  differing  from  them,  seeing  good 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  AMERICA       147 

everywhere,  and  objecting  to  dogmatic  religion  be- 
cause its  tendency  is  exclusive  rather  than  inclu- 
sive. Their  opponents  say,  DogTaatism  is  essential 
to  the  clear  understanding  and  preservation  of  the 
faith.  This  latter  school  seeks  to  combine  the 
Catholic  practices  of  earlier  ages,  in  worship,  with 
the  practical  work  of  the  present  day,  and  these  are 
kno^vn  as  Catholic  Churchmen;  not  because  they 
alone  are  Catholics,  but  because  they  would  show 
that  the  whole  Church  is  Catholic.  With  the  ad- 
vance made  in  aesthetics,  it  is  natural  that  there 
should  be  a  higher  development  of  the  beautiful  in 
worship.  Their  opponents  have  accused  them  of 
copying  Eome.  They  say,  ^o — not  Kome,  but 
Catholic  usage,  as  common  once  in  England  as  in 
Europe.  The  truth  is,  the  Church  is  Catholic, 
contains  many  men  of  many  minds,  only  insisting 
on  holding  '^the  faith  in  the  unity  of  the  spirit,  in 
the  bond  of  peace,  and  in  righteousness  of  life." 
'^In  essentials  unity;  in  non-essentials  liberty;  in 
all  things  charity." 

The  Civil  War 

Probably  the  unity  of  the  Church  was  never 
better  illustrated  than  by  the  conduct  of  its  various 
sections  during  the  Civil  War  (1861-1865).  The 
Southern  states  having  formed  a  government  sepa- 
rate from  that  of  the  United  States,  the  Church- 
men of  the  South  naturally  organized  themselves 
into  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  South- 


148       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

ern  Confederacy.  They  used  the  same  Praj^er 
Book,  and  were  governed  by  the  same  canon  law  as 
before.  When  a  vacancy  occurred  in  one  of  their 
dioceses,  a  successor  was  duly  elected  and  con- 
secrated. When  the  war  was  over  and  before  the 
country  reunited,  the  Church  already  had  become 
reunited.  At  the  General  Convention  in  1862, 
there  was  no  recognition  of  a  division  in  either  the 
nation  or  the  Church.  When  the  roll  of  delegates 
was  called,  the  Southern  dioceses  Avere  called  in 
their  turn,  though  the  secretary  knew  none  were 
represented.  In  1865  the  war  was  over.  The 
Southern  Bishops  were  invited  to  take  their  place 
as  before,  and  by  1868  the  breach  was  entirely 
healed.  In  contrast  with  this,  such  bodies  as  the 
Methodist  and  Presbyterian,  etc.,  fifty  years  after 
the  war,  are  still  divided,  showing  how  the  Church 
tends  to  unity,  and  non-episcopacy  to  division. 

In  the  Twentieth  Century 

From  the  time  the  Church  awoke  from  her 
lethargy,  and  put  on  her  armor,  she  has  made 
gigantic  strides.  From  being  a  Church  of  a  class, 
she  has  become  a  Church  of  the  people.  From 
"dying  with  dignity,''  she  is  alive  to  every  human 
interest  and  spiritual  want.  She  has  learned  to 
adapt  herself  to  modern  needs,  and  still  retain  her 
Catholic  heritage  of  an  apostolic  ministry  and 
ancient  liturgy.  In  1886  she  submitted  a  scheme 
for  discussing  Church  Unitv  with  other  Christian 


HISTORY  OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  A^IERICA       149 

bodies.  While  none  of  them  have  accepted  the 
propositions,  the  Church  has  been  placed  on  record. 
Four  things  she  declared  to  be  trusts,  which  she 
dare  not  betray:  (1)  Holy  Scripture,  (2)  The  an- 
cient creeds,  (3)  The  two  great  Sacraments,  (4) 
The  historic  episcopate.  Without  these  there  can 
be  no  Church.  Since  1910  she  has  also  been  doing 
much  work  in  preparation  for  a  general  Conference 
of  the  whole  Christian  world  to  discuss  the  Faith 
and  Order  of  the  Church.  She  has  greatly  ad- 
vanced, also,  in  later  years,  in  promoting  the  social 
aspect  of  Christianity  and  in  Christianizing  the 
social  order. 

Growth  of  the  Church 

The  Church  is  growing  faster  in  this  country 
than  the  population,  though  little  benefited  by 
immigration.  From  1868  to  1895,  the  population 
of  the  country  increased  85  per  cent.,  the  Episcopal 
Church  215  per  cent.  In  the  same  period  in  'Ne^v 
York  City,  the  Church  increased  180  per  cent.,  the 
Methodist  only  56  per  cent.,  Presbyterians  49  per 
cent.,  Baptists  43  per  cent.,  and  the  population  80 
per  cent.  Almost  every  Confirmation  class  con- 
tains converts  from  other  communions,  from 
Roman  Catholics  to  Quakers.  Each  year  brings 
many  ministers  from  other  bodies,  Roman  priests, 
Methodist  preachers,  etc.,  to  serve  her  altars.  In 
1915  the  Church  has  more  than  a  hundred  Bishops, 
nearly  6,000  clergy,  one-tenth  of  whom  had  previ- 


150      THE  CHURCHIMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

ously  served   in   some   other  religious  body,   and 
more  than  a  million  communicants. 
Chronological  Table 

1492 — Discovery  of  America. 

1497 — John  Cabot  discovered  North  America. 

1579 — First  service  in  the  English  language  in  America, 
being  in  Drake's  Bay,  by  a  chaplain  of  the  Church 
of  England. 

1585— First  white  person  (Virginia  Dare)  baptized  in 
America. 

1607 — Settlement  of  Jamestown,  Virginia. 

1620 — Puritans  land  at  Plymouth  Rock. 

1634 — Lord  Baltimore's  colony  settle  Maryland. 

1695 — Christ  Church,  Philadelphia,  organized. 

1697— Trinity  Parish,  New  York,  organized. 

1722 — Three  professors  of  Yale  College  left  Congregation- 
alism for  the  Church. 

1776 — Declaration  of  Independence. 

1783 — Peace. 

1784 — Bishop  Seabury  of  Connecticut  consecrated  by  the 
Scotch  Bishops. 

1787 — Bishops  White  and  Provoost  consecrated  in  England, 
for  Pennsylvania  and  New  York. 

1789 — ^American  Prayer  Book  adopted. 

1821 — Domestic  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  organized. 

1835 — Bishop  Kemper  consecrated  first  Missionary  Bishop 
in  the  domestic  field. 

1836 — First  Church  missionaries  to  Africa. 

1844 — Bishop  Boone  of  China  consecrated  first  foreign  Mis- 
sionary Bishop. 

1886 — Declaration  on  Church  Unity. 

1892 — Prayer  Book  revision,  commenced  in  1880,  completed. 

1910 — Commission  appointed  to  prepare  for  a  World  Con- 
ference on  the  Faith  and  Order  of  the  Church. 

Eead  Bishop  Coleman's  History  of  the  Amer- 
ican Church  and  Miss  Kanlett's  Some  Memory 
Days  of  the  Church  in  America. 


CHAPTER  IX 

PUBLIC  WORSHIP 

THE  object  of  attending  Church  services  is 
partly  for  edification,  partly  to  receive  a  bene- 
fit, but  principally  to  offer  worship  to  God;  then 
He  returns  a  blessing.  The  pulpit  must  not  be 
raised  above  the  altar.  The  sermon  is  of  the  earth, 
earthy;  worship  pertains  to  heaven.  The  one  is 
for  man  as  imperfect  and  a  sinner,  the  other  for 
him  as  called  to  be  a  saint,  or  as  one  desirous  to  live 
in  God's  presence.  From  the  time  man  was  placed 
in  the  world,  he  was  commanded  to  honor  God. 
The  Gospel  is  preached  to  convert  and  instruct, 
that  he  may  offer  this  worship. 

Worship  Sacrificial 

Worship  is  sacrificial.  That  is,  an  offering  or 
oblation  presented  to  God.  Abel  brought  the  fruits 
of  his  flock.  On  coming  out  of  the  ark,  Xoah 
erected  an  altar.  Abraham  received  his  revelation 
while  standing  before  the  smoking  victim.  Other 
ceremonials  were  '^bowing  the  head''  (Gen.  xxiv. 
26,  28),  benediction  by  laying  on  hands,  setting  up 
a  pillar  and  pouring  oil  upon  it  (Gen.  xxviii.  18 ; 


152       THE  CHURCHMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

XXXV.  14),  and  purification  before  sacrifice  (Gen. 
XXXV.  2).  In  the  Mosaic  econo^ay,  a  lamb  was 
offered  daily,  morning  and  evening.  On  the  Sab- 
bath and  feast  days,  the  number  was  increased. 
Bread  and  wine,  the  firstfruits  of  the  harvest,  and 
incense,  were  parts  of  their  worship,  each  symbol- 
ical of  Christ.  The  Levites,  in  white  linen,  accom- 
panied by  cymbals,  psalteries,  harps  and  trumpets, 
sang  the  psalms  of  David. 

The  Worship  of  Heaven 

In  the  Apocalypse,  glimpses  are  given  of  heav- 
enly worship.  The  four-and-twenty  elders  fall 
down  before  the  throne,  joining  with  the  four 
beasts  in  ascribing  glory  and  honor  and  power  to 
'^Him  who  lived  for  ever  and  ever."  Angels  burn 
incense,  the  saints  in  white  sing  the  "song  of  Moses 
and  the  Lamb."  Magnificence,  harmony,  prostra- 
tions, and  adoration  form  the  features  of  worship 
in  heaven. 

Pattern  of  Christian  Worship 

From  this  vision  of  St.  John  can  be  dra^vn  the 
principles  of  Christian  worship.  Moses  was  told, 
"See  that  thou  make  all  things  according  to  the  pat- 
tern showed  to  thee  in  the  mount"  (Heb.  viii.  5). 
Moses  went  into  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  and  re- 
ceived his  pattern  of  Jewish  worship.  St.  John, 
on  the  desolate  rock  of  Patmos,  received  in  a 
vision  the  pattern  of  divine  worship.     The  early 


PUBLIC  WORSHIP  153 

Church  endeavored  to  imitate  this  worship.     The 
resemblance  is  still  seen  in  the  Eastern  liturg;v\ 
The  iconostasis  with  its  doors,  the  solemn  bringing 
in  of  the  Book  of  the  Gospels  to  be  read,  are  imita- 
tions of  Eev.  iv.  and  v.  Traces  of  the  same  are  pres- 
ent with  us,  in  the  rood  screen,  in  standing  when 
the  Gospel  is  announced,  and  in  singing  "Glory 
be  to  Thee,  O  Lord/'    We  sing  "with  angels  and 
archangels  and  with  all  the  company  of  heaven," 
"Holy,  Holy,  Hoi/'  (Eev.  iv.  8 ;  Isa.  vi.  3).  Moses 
ordered  daily  morning  and  evening  sacrifice;  the 
Prayer  Book  provides  daily  Morning  and  Evening 
Prayer.      A    special    Communion    service    is    ap- 
pointed for  each  Sunday  and  holy  day.     Where 
congregations  have  the  means,  choristers  robed  in 
white  sing  antiphonally  as  the  Levites  did,  "ward 
against  ward"    (:N'eh.  xii.   24)    and  together  "by 
courses"  (Ezra  iii.  11).    The  Greek  of  Col.  iii.  16 
and  Eph.  v.  19  seems  to  refer  to  this.    The  nearest 
approach  to  the  music  used  in  the  temple  and  syna- 
gogue, scholars  tell  us,  is  found  in  chanting. 

The  Offering  of  Christ 

Worship  is  sacrificial,  an  ofiering  to  God. 
Christ  offered  Himself.  He  was  both  priest  and 
victim.  He  continues  to  offer  Himself  in  heaven. 
He  is  a  "priest  forever,"  His  priesthood  is  "un- 
changing" (Heb.  vii.  17,  24).  He  is  a  priest 
in  heaven  (Heb.  viii.  1,  2).  As  a  priest.  He 
must   have    "somewhat   to   offer"    (Heb.    vii.    3). 


154      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

He  continues  to  show  Himself  to  His  Father 
as  the  Lamb  that  hath  been  slain  (Rev.  v.  6). 
By  His  offering  on  the  cross  He  made  an  atone- 
ment for  onr  sins.  By  the  continual  oblation  of 
Himself  in  heaven,  on  the  Golden  Altar,  He  makes 
intercession  for  us.  His  ambassadors  on  earth 
offer  a  continual  memorial  of  His  death  and  sacri- 
fice on  the  cross ;  and  in  His  ^ame  offer  up  inter- 
cessions for  the  faithful.  Thus  the  Church's  wor- 
ship is  in  unison  with  His  action  in  heaven. 

The  Church's  Oblation 

The  Church  presents  several  kinds  of  oblations. 
She  offers  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving 
(Heb.  xiii.  1).  This  is  really  the  offering  of 
Christ,  that  is,  of  His  mystical  Body,  of  which  they 
are  members.  These  are  not  worthy  of  the  pure 
God,  though  He  is  willing  to  accept  them.  Our 
praises  are  full  of  imperfections.  Her  faithful 
have  only  broken  and  contrite  hearts.  We  should 
give  Him  the  best  that  we  can.  Now,  as  in  the 
days  of  old.  He  provides  Himself  a  Lamb.  Christ 
is  the  Lamb  of  God.  He  only  is  without  sin,  the 
only  perfect  oblation  we  can  offer.  We  do  this  in 
the  Eucharist,  when  we  hold  up  to  the  Father  the 
Body  and  Blood  of  His  Son  (I.  Cor.  x.  16),  asking 
Him  to  look  upon  the  merits  of  His  Son,  not  on  our 
infirmities.  Because  this  Presence  of  Him  in  the 
Sacrament  is  spiritual,  it  is  a  spiritual  Sacrifice  we 
offer.     Because  it  is  a  divine  offering,  the  early 


PUBLIC  WORSHIP  155 

Christians  called  it  "a  tremendous  Sacrifice."  Be- 
cause it  is  not  like  the  sacrifices  of  old,  a  shedding 
of  blood,  it  is  called  the  '^mbloody  Sacrifice." 
This  worship  is  ^Wr  bounden  duty  and  service." 
It  is  the  principal  reason  why  we  should  not 
' 'neglect  the  assembling  of  ourselves  together"  (see 
page  219). 

God  the  Object  of  Worship 

Belief  in  the  actual  presence  of  God  is  the 
mainspring  of  worship,  and  prompts  every  act  of 
reverence  or  rituaL  The  Shekinah  of  His  presence 
rested  over  the  ark  in  the  temple.  Christ's  Body 
and  Blood  are  present  in  the  Holy  Eucharist.  The 
Lamb  in  heaven  is  alone  'Svorthy  to  receive  honor 
and  glory."  In  prayer  we  kneel  to  Him.  In 
praise,  we  stand.  The  Psalmist  says,  'Tall  down 
low  before  His  footstool."  Worship  in  the  Church 
is  to  exceed  that  in  former  times  (II.  Cor.  iii.  9), 
and  should  be  assimilated  to  the  heavenly.  By 
outward  ceremonial  and  gestures,  testimony  is 
given  of  inward  humility,  and  an  endeavor  made 
to  "worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness." 

The  Layman's  Part  In  Worship 

Though  it  is  the  minister  who  leads  in  worship, 
and  the  priest  who  consecrates  the  Eucharist,  the 
layman  has  his  part.  He  is  not  a  silent  listener. 
He  belongs  to  a  ''royal  priesthood"  (I.  Peter 
ii.  9).     It  is  his  privilege  to  offer  the  "sacrifice  of 


156      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

praise  and  thanksgiving,"  to  respond  '^Amen"  to 
the  prayers,  to  sing  not  only  the  hymns,  but  also  the 
Psalter.  He  joins  in  the  Confession  of  sins,  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Creed.  Versicles  are  said 
alternately  with  the  minister.  The  Litany  is  thus 
divided  between  the  two.  Unless  the  people  fulfil 
their  duty  of  the  priesthood,  the  priests'  supplica- 
tions are  not  complete,  and  the  worship  is  only  par- 
tially offered. 

Ceremonial  of  Worship 

The  ceremonial  of  worship  is  intimately  asso- 
ciated with  worship  itself,  though  it  is  largely  de- 
pendent upon  individual  and  national  usage.  The 
object  of  ceremonial  is  manifold:  1.  For  edifica- 
tion, addressing  the  eye  by  symbolism,  as  music 
addresses  the  ear.  The  tabernacle  taught  the  Israel- 
ites about  Christ  to  come.  2.  For  reverence,  secur- 
ing dignity,  as  the  apostle  says,  "Let  all  things  be 
done  decently  and  in  order."  3.  For  anesthetics,  in 
order  to  secure  the  "beauty  of  holiness."  People 
of  warmer  climes  are  naturally  more  ritualistic 
than  those  of  the  I^orth.  Protestants  are  apt  to 
think  an  excess  of  ritual  is  "Romish,"  but  not  so. 
The  Greeks,  who  are  bitter  in  their  denunciation  of 
Pome,  have  a  ceremonial  much  more  minute  and 
magnificent  than  that  of  Rome.  The  Lutherans 
were  the  first  Protestants,  and  those  of  Germany, 
Sweden,  and  Denmark  retain  many  of  the  old  cus- 
toms, as  lights  and  incense.     These  two  are  de- 


PUBLIC  WORSHIP  157 

fended  on  the  gToimd  of  their  use  in  the  tabernacle 
and  in  the  Apocalypse  of  St.  John.  Both  are  sym- 
bolical of  Christ.  Here  let  it  be  said  that  those 
who  use  elaborate  ceremonial  must  not  fault  those 
who  do  not,  and  vice  versa.  "It  is  the  spirit  which 
quickeneth."  If  this  is  remembered,  then  if  cere- 
monial is  a  help,  it  would  be  sinful  to  deprive  a 
brother  of  it ;  but  unless  the  spirit  of  worship  is 
present,  it  is  nugatory.  See  chapter  XXII.,  page 
280. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  PRAYER  BOOK— THE  BOOK  OF  WORSHIP 

FEOM  the  subject  of  worship  we  pass  to  the 
manner  of  conducting  it.  For  this  purpose 
the  Church  has  provided  a  book  of  its  order.  Some 
religious  bodies  dispense  with  a  pre-arranged  serv- 
ice. It  will  be  necessary  to  point  out  the  reasons 
for  forms  of  prayer. 

Disadvantages  of   Extemporaneous   Prayer 

This  mode  of  praying  is  modern,  unknown 
alike  to  Jew  or  Gentile,  Christian  or  Pagan.  It 
frequently  works  great  injury,  enabling  a  minister 
to  pray,  as  well  as  to  preach,  heresy.  It  enables  a 
man  to  keep  out  of  view  doctrines  which  are  dis- 
tasteful to  him.  It  degenerates  into  a  one  man's 
service,  or  in  various  congregations  gives  an  oppor- 
tunity for  every  one  to  have  a  psalm,  or  a  doctrine 
of  his  own  (I.  Cor.  xiv.  26).  It  seems  frequently 
to  come  from  the  head,  rather  than  from  the  heart. 
The  mind  of  him  who  prays  is  so  occupied  with 
making  rhetorical  sentences,  as  to  prevent  the  co- 
operation of  the  spirit.  The  hearer  must  wait 
until  the  words  are  uttered  before  he  can  give  his 


THE   PRAYER  BOOK  159 

assent  (I.  Cor.  xiv.  16).  Often  the  petitions  of 
the  prayer  are  distasteful  upon  personal,  political, 
or  doctrinal  grounds.  Such  prayers  are  said  to 
affect  the  congregation,  to  whom  they  appear  to  be 
addressed,  rather  than  to  God. 

Advantages  of  Forms  of  Prayer 

Solomon  says,  ^'Be  not  rash  with  thy  mouth, 
and  let  not  thine  heart  be  hasty  to  utter  anything 
before  God"  (Eccles.  v.  1).  St.  Paul  advises, 
'^Let  all  things  be  done  decently  and  in  order"  (I. 
Cor.  xiv.  40).  A  liturgy  promotes  reverence.  ^'In 
the  multitude  of  counsellors  there  is  wisdom."  The 
Prayer  Book  is  the  wisdom,  not  only  of  many  per- 
sons, but  of  many  ages.  It  is  a  gTowi:h,  not  com- 
posed in  one  day  or  by  one  man.  As  generation 
succeeded  generation,  what  was  true  and  lasting 
was  preserved.  In  it  we  sing  the  same  praises, 
sung  by  the  saints  of  old.  Human  wants  are  ever 
the  same,  hence  the  same  prayers  are  offered  as  of 
old.  The  liturgy  rolls  up  to  heaven,  ^^as  the  voice 
of  a  great  multitude,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters, 
and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunder ings"  (Rev.  xix. 
6),  for  it  comes  from  ^^many  nations,  peoples,  and 
tongues."  The  Church  is  a  form;  the  Creed  and 
the  Ten  Commandments  are  forms.  Jesus  Christ 
^'took  upon  Him  the  form  of  a  servant."  By  a 
form  the  whole  round  of  Christian  truth  can  re- 
ceive its  due  share  of  attention,  and  the  people  be 
better  edified.     Many  hymns  are  forms  of  prayer; 


160     THE   CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

we  canuot  sing  extemporaneous  hymns.  The 
Prayer  Book  is  called  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
because  all  use  it,  and  all  may  have  a  part  in  it. 

Objections  Answered 

It  is  sometimes  said  that  a  form  produces  in- 
difference and  languor.  All  prayer  can  degenerate 
into  lip  service,  empty  husks,  and  can  grow  weari- 
some. It  is  also  said  that  there  is  too  much  same- 
ness in  forms.  Can  that  make  any  difference  to 
Him  "with  whom  there  is  no  variableness  nor 
shadow  of  turning"  ?  with  Jesus  Christ,  "the  same 
yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever,"  who  receives  praise 
from  those  in  heaven  "who  rest  not  day  and  night 
saying.  Holy,  Holy,  Holy"  ?  Our  Lord  in  the 
Garden  of  Gethsemane  prayed  three  times  "using 
the  same  words."  But  the  Prayer  Book  with  its 
sameness  is  full  of  variety.  Part  changes  for  every 
day,  and  part  for  every  week,  and  yet  it  is  so  simple 
in  its  construction  that  it  is  easy  for  any  one  to 
understand.  Often  those  who  object  to  forms  in 
the  worship  of  Almighty  God  are  very  punctilious 
about  their  careful  use  and  preservation  in  Masonic 
and  other  secret  fraternities. 

Bible  Reasons  for  Forms  of  Prayer 

God  approves  of  forms.  He  provided  them 
under  the  law  (^Num.  vi.  23-26;  x.  35,  36;  Deut. 
xvi.  6-8;  xxvi.  5-11,  etc.).  The  synagogue  and 
temple  worship  was  pre-composed,  in  both  of  which 


THE   PRAYER  BOOK  161 

the  Psalms  formed  a  large  part.  In  these  our  Lord 
and  His  disciples  joined.  He  never  condemned 
these  forms,  hence  we  have  His  example.  He  gave 
a  form  of  prayer,  and  John  the  Baptist  gave  his 
disciples  one  (St.  Luke  xi.  1,  2).  The  prayer, 
"Our  Father,"  was  adapted  by  Christ  from  the 
Jewish  liturgy.  He  gave  a  form  for  Baptism.  At 
the  Last  Supper,  the  hymn  that  was  sung  (St. 
Matt.  xxvi.  30)  was  most  probably  the  Hallel,  com- 
posed of  different  psalms.  Upon  the  cross,  His 
prayers  were  quoted  from  the  Psalms  (comp.  St. 
Luke  xxiii.  46  and  Ps.  xxxi.  5 ;  St.  Matt,  xxvii. 
40  and  Ps.  xxii.  1).  After  the  Day  of  Pentecost, 
the  Apostles  prayed  with  "one  accord"  (comp.  Acts 
iv.  24  and  Ps.  ii.  1,  2.  See  also  Acts  xiii.  2,  where 
the  Greek  is,  "as  they  were  liturgising").  ]^o  ex- 
temporaneous public  prayer  is  mentioned  in  the 
!N'ew  Testament. 

Antiquity  of  Forms 

The  Christian  liturgy  was  jDrobably  composed 
before  the  'New  Testament  was  written,  in  order 
to  celebrate  the  Holy  Communion.  The  apostle 
seems  to  quote  it  (I.  Cor.  ii.  9;  II.  Tim.  ii.  11-13, 
etc.).  The  Greek  of  Eph.  v.  14  is  metrical,  and 
may  be  translated,  "Therefore  it  says.  Awake,"  etc. 
The  early  Fathers  refer  to  the  form  of  service  in 
their  day.  From  them  we  learn  that  there  were 
four  very  ancient  liturgies,  which  can  be  traced 
back  to  the  second  century,  and  probably  to  the 


162       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

first,  and  with  such  resemblances  as  to  indicate 
unity  of  design.  For  1,500  years  no  Church  is 
known  to  have  existed  without  a  liturgy.  To-day, 
nine-tenths  of  Christendom  use  some  modification 
of  the  original  forms.  In  the  second  century  we 
find  the  Ter  Sanctus  (Holy,  Holy,  Holy)  in  use, 
and  part  of  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis.  In  the  fifth 
century  there  are  traces  of  the  Te  Deum,  in  the 
fifth  many  of  the  collects,  and  in  the  sixth  the  pres- 
ent use  of  the  Epistles  and  Gospels  for  the  various 
days  of  the  Church  year.  There  are  traces  of  these 
as  early  as  the  fourth  century. 

The  Lineage  of  the  Prayer  Book 

Christianity  was  independently  introduced  into 
England  in  the  first  century,  but  it  was  soon  after- 
wards intimately  connected  with  the  Church  in 
France.  The  Gospel  probably  came  from  Ephesus 
and  St.  John,  to  France,  and  with  it  the  Ephesine 
Liturgy,  one  of  the  early  four,  called  the  Liturgy 
of  St.  John,  to  which  we  can  trace  the  Prayer 
Book.  Aug-ustine,  sent  by  Gregory  to  the  Saxons, 
Avas  consecrated  in  France.  He  compiled  a  lit- 
urgy, taking  some  parts  from  the  British  use,  and 
some  from  the  French  and  Latin  use.  After  the 
ISTorman  Conquest,  Osmond,  Chancellor  of  Eng- 
land, and  Bishop  of  Sarum  (Salisbury),  in  1085, 
revised  the  service  books,  bringing  them  into  closer 
conformity  with  the  Roman,  which  is  also  traced 
back  to  another  of  the  original  four  liturgies.    This 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK  163 

English,  or  Sarum,  use,  always  retained  its  inde- 
pendence and  peculiarities,  and  was  the  model  of 
the  reformed  Prayer  Book. 

The  Reformation 

The  general  degeneracy  of  the  times,  and  the 
dovetailing  of  sentimentalism  with  true  devo- 
tion, had  in  the  course  of  ages  affected  the  worship 
of  the  Church  of  England  as  well  as  that  of  the 
rest  of  Europe.  At  the  Reformation  in  the  six- 
teenth century,  four  abuses  specially  needed  cor- 
rection. 

1.  To  turn  the  Latin  forms  into  the  English 
tongue.  The  day  had  passed  when  Latin  was  uni- 
versally understood.  Besides,  the  English  lan- 
guage had  not  been  formed  until  shortly  before  the 
Eeformation.  A  liturgy  in  an  unknown  tongue 
was  not  edifying.  St.  Paul  said  he  would  rather 
speak  five  words  in  the  Church  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  teach  others  than  ''ten  thousand  words  in  an 
unknown  tongue"  (I.  Cor.  xiv.  19).  In  primitive 
times,  the  liturgies  were  clothed  in  the  language  of 
the  people,  as  Greek,  Latin,  Syrian,  Coptic,  and 
Slavonic,  which  liturgies  still  exist. 

2.  To  restore  the  ancient  practice  of  reading 
Scriptures  in  large  and  continuous  portions.  In 
place  of  this,  during  the  Middle  Ages,  Acts  of  the 
Martyrs,  and  legends  of  the  saints  had  been  sub- 
stituted.  These  were  sometimes  true  history,  some- 


164       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

times  false,  and  often  iinedifjing.  In  fact,  the 
calendar  was  loaded  with  saints'  days,  and  the  lives 
of  many  of  them  were  far  from  saintliness,  while 
others  were  such  that  the  people  had  no  special 
interest  in  them.  Inspired  Scripture  is  the  true 
book  to  read  in  divine  service,  and  this  the  Prayer 
Book  orders. 

3.  To  remove  what  was  objectionable.  As  the 
calendar  was  overloaded  with  saints'  days,  so  the 
service  books  abounded  in  prayers  to  the  saints, 
and  especially  to  the  blessed  Virgin.  The  Litany 
was  full  of  them,  and  it  was  the  first  service  trans- 
lated and  purged,  by  which  the  people  received  a 
taste  for  more. 

4.  To  simplify  the  services  in  such  a  way  as 
to  be  used  by  the  people,  in  other  words  to  become 
^^Common  Prayer."  The  old  services  were  in 
various  and  voluminous  books,  the  Breviary  in 
four  volumes,  containing  what  is  now  Morning  and 
Evening  Prayer;  the  Missal,  containing  the  Com- 
munion service,  with  the  collects,  epistles,  and  gos- 
pels ;  the  Manual,  containing  the  occasional  offices, 
as  Baptism,  Marriage,  etc. ;  and  the  Pontifical,  con- 
taining the  Ordinal,  and  other  offices  used  only  by 
the  Bishop.  These  are  now  all  included  in  the 
Book  of  Common  Prayer,  with  the  Bible  for 
the  lessons,  and  the  Hymnal  for  additional  praises. 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK  165 

Changes  Gradual 

These  four  changes  were  gradually  made,  as 
the  following  table  shows : 

1536.  The  Epistles  and  Gospels  were  read  in 
English,  after  being  read  in  Latin. 

1541.  The  use  of  Sarum  was  adopted  first  by 
the  Province  of  Canterbury,  and  then  by  the  whole 
kingdom,  all  other  uses  being  laid  aside. 

1542.  A  chapter  in  the  Bible  was  ordered  to 
be  read  in  course,  morning  and  evening,  after  the 
Legends  of  the  Saints. 

1543.  All  service  books  were  ordered  to  be 
examined  and  purged  of  foreign  legends,  supersti- 
tions, etc. 

1544.  The  Litany  was  translated  into  Eng- 
lish. 

1548.  The  preparation  of  the  communicants 
in  English  followed  the  Latin  Mass,  and  is  still  a 
part  of  the  Communion  service. 

1549.  The  first  English  Prayer  Book  was 
compiled,  and  was  very  similar  to  the  present  book 
both  of  England  and  of  America. 

The  Daily  Offices 

The  daily  offices  of  Morning  and  Evening 
Prayer,  or  Matins  and  Evensong,  were  derived 
from  the  canonical  hours,  seven  in  number,  to  be 
said  at  the  various  hours  of  the  day.  They  Avere  all 
more  or  less  lengthy,  and  each  contained  largely 


166       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  same  matter.  In  the  course  of  time  they  came 
to  be  said  by  accumulation ;  that  is,  several  at  one 
time,  instead  of  at  the  proper  hour.  By  this  the 
original  intention  was  thwarted,  besides  the  people 
were  led  to  believe  that  daily  worship  was  an  im- 
possibility for  men  engaged  in  the  ordinary  occu- 
pations of  life.  The  reformers  determined  to  ad- 
just all  this,  by  consolidating  the  seven  services 
into  two,  to  omit  repetitions,  and  to  read  the  psalter 
once  a  month  instead  of  once  a  week.  To  go 
through  the  ancient  services  was  a  difficult  matter. 
There  was  so  much  turning  over  of  pages,  reading 
a  little  here  and  a  little  there,  providing  for  this 
saint,  commemorating  that  event,  doubling  this 
antiphon,  that  it  was  a  mystery  to  the  common 
people.  All  this  the  reformers  simplified.  Origin- 
ally, the  daily  offices  grew  out  of  the  two  daily 
services  of  the  synagogue,  and  thus  the  Prayer 
Book  returned  to  the  primitive  method,  and  is  the 
vehicle  of  the  Church's  daily  round  of  praise,  like 
the  morning  and  evening  services  of  the  temple. 
The  English  Prayer  Book  requires  the  clergy,  un- 
less hindered,  to  say  these  offices  publicly  or  pri- 
vately so  that  they  may  either  pray  with  or  for  the 
people. 

The  Various  Revisions 

The  first  English  Prayer  Book  was  issued  in 
1549,  under  Edward  VI.  Certain  foreigners  who 
disliked  the  Church  and  Catholic  usages  influenced 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK 


167 


the  reformers,  and  another  revision  was  made  in 
1552,  eliminating  some  of  these  usages.  Every  re- 
vision since  has  been  a  step  towards  their  restora- 
tion. These  occurred  in  England  in  1559,  and  the 
final  one  in  1662.  In  America  the  book  was 
adapted  to  the  new  republic  in  1789,  and  another 
revision  was  completed  in  1892. 

The  following  table  will  show  how  the  ancient 
Matins,  Lauds,  and  Prime  were  condensed  into 
Morning  Prayer. 

A  Comparative  Table  of  Morning  Prayer 


SARUM     BREVIARY     OF 
1085. 


Matins. 

In  the  name  of  the 
Father,  etc.  (See  be- 
low  under  Prime.) 

Lord's    Prayer. 
Hail   Mary,   etc. 
O    Lord,    open    thou 
our   lips,   etc. 


PRAYER     BOOK     OF 

1549. 


Lord's  Prayer. 

O    Lord,    open    thou 
our  lips,  etc. 


O  Lord,   make  speed.  O    God,    make   speed 


to  help,   etc. 
Gloria  Patri. 
Alleluia    (that    is, 

Praise  ye  the 

Lord). 
Invitatory  (a  special 

antiphon). 
Ps.  95    (used  in   the 

temple    worship.) 

^^    .?!!   J^?   .Psalms,^ Psalm  in  course  with 
with   Gloria.  Gloria. 


to  help  us,   etc. 
Gloria  Patri. 
Praise  ye   the   Lord. 


Ps.  95. 


AMERICAN      PRAYER 
BOOK    OF    1892. 


Sentences  of  Scrip- 
ture. 

Exhortation,  Confes- 
sion. (Absolution, 
added  in  1552.) 

Lord's   Prayer. 

O  Lord,  open  thou 
our   lips,    etc. 


Gloria  Patri. 

Praise   ye   the   Lord. 


Ps.    95. 

Psalms     i  n      course 
with  Gloria. 


168       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


SARUM     BREVIARY     OF 
1085. 


3  or  9  lessons. 
Te  Deum. 

Lauds. 
5    Psalms,   among 
them  the 
Jubilate   and   Bene- 
dicite  (used  in  the 
temple). 
The    Little    Chapter 
from   the   Bible. 
Hymns. 

Benedictus. 
Collect  for  the  day 
and  for  Peace. 

Prime. 

(Our  Father  —  Hail 
Mary  —  O  God 
make  speed  — • 
Hymn — 3  Psalms 
— Creed  of  Athan- 
asius  —  Little 
Chapter.) 

Lord,  have  mercy 
upon  us. 

Our   Father. 

Apostles'    creed. 
(See  above.) 

(See  above.) 

Versicles. 

Confession  and  Ab- 
solution. 

(See  above  under 
Lauds.) 

Collect  for  Grace. 

( See  above  under 
Lauds.) 

Thanksgiving. 

Benediction. 


PRAYER     BOOK 

1549. 


Lessons  from  the 

Old  Testament. 

Te  Deum 

or 
Benedicite. 


Lesson    from    the 

New  Testament. 
Jubilate    (see    above 

in  Sarum) 

or   Benedictus. 

(See  below.) 


(See  below.) 

(See  below.) 
Apostles'   creed. 
Lord    have    mercy 

upon   us. 
Lord's  Prayer. 
Versicles. 

(See  above.) 

Collect   for  the  day. 

Collect  for  grace. 
Collect  for  peace. 

Prayers. 


AMERICAN   PRAYER 
BOOK   OF   1892. 


Lesson  from  the  Old 
Testament. 
Te  Deum 


Benedicite. 


Lesson  from  the  New 
Testament. 
Jubilate 

or    Benedictus 
(See  below.) 


Apostles'   creed. 


Versicles 
(See  above.) 

Collect  for  the  day. 

Collect   for  grace. 
Collect  for  peace. 

Prayers. 
Benediction. 


It  will  be  iinnecessarj  to  tabulate  Evening 
Prayer,  which  is  a  condensation  of  the  ancient  Ves- 
pers and  Compline.  As  the  Te  Deum  of  Matins 
and  Benedicite  and  Benedictus  of  Lands  were  pnt 
in  Morning  Prayer,  so  the  Magnificat  of  Vespers 


THE   PRAYER  BOOK  169 

and  Nunc  Dimittis  of  Compline  were  made  part 
of  Evening  Prayer. 

The  Psalms 

The  Psalms  are  read  through  once  a  month. 
The  ancients  used  them  so  frequently  that  often 
the  whole  hundred  and  fifty  were  known  by  heart. 
In  some  churches  the  whole  Psalter  was  recited 
every  day,  as  is  now  done  by  the  Copts.  In  other 
places,  the  use  was  once  a  week.  Once  a  month 
keeps  the  service  at  proper  length.  Upon  Christ- 
mas Day,  Easter  Day,  and  a  few  other  days,  special 
or  proper  psalms,  appropriate  to  the  event  com- 
memorated, are  appointed,  as  xxii.  for  Good  Fri- 
day or  xxiv.  for  Ascension  Day.  The  Gloria  Patri 
from  the  fourth  century  has  been  sung  after  the 
psalms,  thus  turning  Jewish  psalms  into  Christian 
hymns. 

The  Lessons 

The  Old  Testament  is  read  as  the  first  lesson, 
and  the  I^ew,  as  the  second.  The  calendar  is  so 
arranged  that  the  Old  Testament  (excepting  a  few 
chapters,  principally  genealogies)  is  read  through 
once  a  year,  and  the  E'cav  twice.  In  the  synagogue, 
regular  lessons  were  selected,  one  from  the  law  and 
the  other  from  the  prophets.  Special  days  and  all 
Sundays  have  proper  lessons,  appropriate  to  the 
Church  seasons,  as  Isa.  ix.  for  Christmas  and  John 
xii.  for  Psalm  Sunday. 


170       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

The  Canticles 

Singing  between  the  lessons  is  a  very  ancient 
cnstom.  Three  of  the  Canticles  are  Gospel  hymns 
recorded  by  St.  Luke,  namely  the  Benedictus,  Mag- 
nificat, and  Nunc  Dimittis,  or  the  songs  of  Zacha- 
rias,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  Simeon.  They  have 
been  used  from  early  times,  and  are  regarded  as 
daily  memorials  of  the  Incarnation.  The  Te  Deum 
is  attributed  to  St.  Hilary,  Bishop  of  Poictiers 
(A.  D.  355)  in  France.  Formerly  it  was  supposed 
to  have  been  the  composition  of  St.  Ambrose  and 
St.  Augustine  at  the  baptism  of  the  latter.  The 
Benedicite  is  an  old  Jewish  hymn,  a  paraphrase  of 
Psalm  cxlviii.,  and  tradition  says  it  was  sung  by 
the  three  children  saved  from  the  fiery  furnace 
(Dan.  iii.).  It  was  used  in  the  Christian  Church 
as  early  as  the  third  century,  possibly  earlier. 

The  Litany 

The  Litany  is  a  very  ancient  form  in  the  East- 
ern Church,  and  in  the  West  was  called  the  Koga- 
tions.  It  was  usually  sung  in  procession,  a  cus- 
tom still  continued  in  some  parts  of  England  and 
Europe.  As  the  Litany  now  stands,  it  is  sub- 
stantially fourteen  hundred  years  old.  In  the 
eighth  century,  invocations  of  saints  were  added, 
which  were  expunged  at  the  Reformation.  The 
Jewish  liturgy  had  a  form  of  prayer  for  the  syna- 
gogue which  resembled  this  service. 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK 


171 


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172       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


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THE   PRAYER  BOOK 


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174       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

The  principal  changes  which  have  been  made  in 
the  Communion  service  since  the  Reformation  are 
the  introduction  of  a  confession  and  absolution  in 
a  different  place,  and  of  a  different  form,  changing 
the  place  of  the  Gloria  in  Excelsis  and  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  the  use  of  the  Ten  Commandments  as 
a  constant  Old  Testament  Lesson. 

The  Commandments 

The  use  of  these  in  the  Communion  service  is 
peculiar  to  the  Anglican  Church.  Standing  at  the 
beginning,  they  enable  a  man  so  ^^to  examine  him- 
self before  he  presume  to  eat  of  that  Bread  and 
drink  of  that  Cup."  They  were  thundered  on 
Mount  Sinai,  but  softened  by  our  Lord  in  His  Ser- 
mon on  the  Mount,  and  hence,  in  this  service  they 
are  followed  by  Christ's  summary,  including  them 
under  a  twofold  head — love  to  God  and  love 
to  man. 

The  Collects 

The  Collects  are  short  prayers.  There  is  one 
for  every  Sunday  and  holy  day.  They  sum  up  the 
teaching  for  that  day  in  the  form  of  a  prayer. 
Most  of  them  are  very  ancient.  Five  of  them  can 
be  traced  to  A.  D.  451  and  possibly  are  older; 
twenty-one  to  492 ;  twenty-five  to  590 ;  several 
others  to  prayers  and  anthems  equally  ancient. 
About  twenty  were  composed  in  1549.  It  is  a 
peculiarity  of  the  Collect,  that  the  one  for  the  day 


THE   PRAYER  BOOK  175 

is  always  said  in  daily  Morning  and  Evening 
Prayer,  so  that  those  offices  may  have  the  flavor  of 
the  Communion,  and  the  Eucharistic  element  is 
made  to  pervade  ordinary  daily  worship. 

The   Kyrie 

The  early  Greek  liturgy  was  prefaced  by  a 
series  of  supplications,  which  exists  to  the  present, 
under  the  name  of  the  Ectene.  In  the  West,  the 
Litany  took  its  place.  This  was  abbreviated  to 
what  is  called  the  Lesser  Litany,  consisting  of  three 
clauses  repeated  three  times. 

"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us." 

"Christ,  have  mercy  upon  us." 

"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us." 

Hence  called  the  Kyrie  (Lord).  When  the  Ten 
Commandments  were  made  part  of  the  service,  a 
Kyrie  was  placed  after  each,  and  thus  the  ancient 
usage  was  preserved. 

The  Epistles  and   Gospels 

These  always  contain  the  thought  for  the  day 
and  season.  Those  for  Advent  refer  to  our  Lord's 
coming  again;  those  for  Epiphany  to  the  mani- 
festation of  His  glory;  those  for  Lent  to  sin  and 
the  Passion.  The  selections  we  have  in  the  Prayer 
Book  are  probably  1500  years  old  or  older,  and  are 
nearly  the  same  as  those  used  by  the  Romans  and 
Lutherans.  Those  in  the  Greek  Church  vary  from 
ours,  but  the  principle  ujoon  which  the  selection  is 


176      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

made  is  the  same.  We  retain  the  custom  of  stand- 
ing while  the  Gospel  is  being  read.  The  ceremony 
is  much  more  elaborate  in  the  Greek  Church.  In 
the  synagogue,  the  Book  of  the  LaAv  was  carried  by 
the  reader  from  its  receptacle  to  the  pulpit,  with 
elaborate  ritual.  Kev.  v.  is  probably  a  reference 
to  the  synagogue  custom,  and  the  basis  of  our  spe- 
cial reverence  for  the  reading  from  the  Gospel  by 
standing  and  singing  an  ascription  of  praise. 

The  Canon 

The  Canon  is  the  name  often  given  to  the 
prayer  of  consecrating  the  bread  and  wine.  It  con- 
sists of  three  parts:  (1)  The  words  of  our  Lord 
when  instituting  the  Sacrament.  As  the  priest  re- 
cites them  he  imitates  Christ's  act,  by  taking  the 
bread  in  his  hand  and  breaking  it,  and  by  blessing 
the  wine.  (2)  The  oblation  of  the  elements  to  God, 
in  remembrance  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
His  Son.  (3)  The  invocation  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
by  whose  power  the  bread  and  wine  become  the 
Body  and  Blood  of  Christ.  These  three  parts  we 
find  in  nearly  all  ancient  liturgies,  and  the  general 
form  of  all  is  about  the  same.  This  fact  has  led 
liturgists  to  believe  that  there  was  an  original  apos- 
tolic norm,  from  which  all  other  liturgies  have 
sprung. 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK  177 

The  Gloria  in  Excelsis 

This  ancient  hymn  is  used  after  the  Commun- 
ion, and  reminds  us  of  that  hymn  sung  by  the 
disciples  before  going  out  into  the  Mount  of  Olives 
(St.  Matt.  xxvi.  30).  It  is  based  upon  St.  Luke 
ii.  14  and  St.  John  i.  29.  The  first  part  was  used 
as  early  as  the  second  century.  By  the  third,  it 
had  expanded  to  nearly  what  we  now  have  it.  At 
first  it  was  a  morning  hymn,  and  not  until  about 
A.  D.  500  was  it  in  the  West  made  part  of  the 
Eucharistic  service.  The  Greeks  have  used  it  since 
the  fourth  century  in  their  daily  office. 

Scriptural  Character  of  the  Prayer  Book 

We  may  make  this  summary  of  the  book: 
Three  fifths  are  taken  from  holy  Scrij^ture,  one 
fifth  consists  of  prayers,  creeds  and  canticles  from 
1200  to  1500  years  old,  some  of  them  reaching 
back  to  apostolic  times.  The  other  fifth  consists 
of  prayers  and  exhortations  some  three  hundred 
years  old.  At  any  one  service,  not  counting  the 
sermon,  about  one  half  of  it  is  carried  on  in  the 
actual  words  of  Holy  Scripture.  One  half  is 
praise,  one  fourth  prayer,  and  one  fourth  reading 
the  Bible. 

The  Prayer  Book  and  Individual  Life 

The  Prayer  Book  follows  a  man  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave.  By  Baptism,  the  babe  is  re- 
ceived into  the  bosom  of  the  Church.     When  able 


178      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

to  learn,  the  child  is  taught  the  Catechism.  When 
he  arrives  at  years  of  discretion,  the  youth  is  con- 
firmed by  the  Bishop.  He  is  afterwards  fed  in 
the  Holy  Communion.  The  Church,  out  of  this 
book,  marries  him,  comforts  and  visits  him  in  sick- 
ness, gives  him  the  viaticum  before  death,  buries 
him,  and  provides  that  he  ''and  all  others  who  have 
departed  this  life  in  faith  and  fear"  may  be  remem- 
bered at  the  altar  to  eternity. 

Chronological  Table  of  the  Prayer  Book 

B.C. 

1004 — Temple  worship  regulated  by  David. 
460 — Temple  worship  revived  and  re-adjusted  by  Ezra. 
A.  D. 

29 — Jesus  gives  the  Lord's  Prayer,  a   form  for  Baptism, 

and  institutes  the  Eucharist. 
50 — The  Celtic  Church  in  Britain,  with  its  liturgy. 
60 — The  "form  of  sound  words"  or  Creeds  being  formed. 
65 — The  Ephesine  Liturgy  in  growth  (see  table  page  171). 
440 — Sacramentary    (Communion   service  book)    of   Leo  I. 
460 — The  Litany  appointed  to  be  used  on  Rogation  days. 
597 — St.  Augustine  lands  in  England.    He  compiles  a  serv- 
ice book  for  the  Saxon  Church. 
1085 — Osmund,  Bishop  of  Sarum,  revives  the  service  books. 
1400 — The    Prymer    in    English,    containing   Matins,    Even- 
song,  certain   Psalms,   office   for    the   dead.    Creed, 
Lord's    Prayer,    Ten    Commandments,    Hail    Mary, 
and  seven  deadly  sins. 
1541 — Large  Bible  ordered  to  be  placed  in  parish  churches. 
1544 — Litany  in  English. 

1548 — Part  of  the  Communion  service  said  in  English. 
1549 — First  English  Prayer  Book. 
1552 — First  revision  of  the  Prayer  Book. 
1559 — Revision  under  Elizabeth. 


THE  PRAYER  BOOK  179 

1645 — Prayer  Book  suppressed  by  the  Puritan  Parliament. 
1662 — Final  revision  of  the  Prayer  Book  in  England. 
1789 — First  American  revision. 
1892 — Second  American  revision. 

1913 — Joint  Commission  of   General  Convention  appointed 
to  consider  a  third  revision. 

For  the  general  reader,  Dearmer's  Everyman  s 
History  of  the  Prayer  Booh,  now  adapted  to  our 
American  book,  is  best.  Temple's  Church  in  the 
Prayer  Booh  is  excellent  and  a  host  of  other  excel- 
lent works  could  be  named,  including  Bishop 
Barry's.  For  the  Communion  service,  which  will 
be  studied  separately,  Luckock's  Divine  Liturgy. 
An  excellent,  cheap,  condensed  book  is  The  Prayer 
Booh  Reason  Why. 


CHAPTER  XI 

HOLY  ORDERS 
The  Ministry  of  Worship 

THE  duty  of  teaching  the  faith,  directing  the 
affairs  of  the  Church,  and  performing  her 
sacred  rites,  was  committed  to  ^^earthen  vessels," 
to  men,  permitted  to  be  ^'ambassadors  of  Christ." 
He  instituted  this  ministry,  He  commissioned  its 
first  officers.  He  empowered  it  to  reproduce  and 
perpetuate  itself,  promising  to  be  with  it  to  the 
end  of  the  world  (St.  Matt,  xxviii.  20).  When 
the  Church  so  grew  that  the  apostles  were  com- 
pelled to  share  some  of  their  responsibilities,  they 
retained  in  their  own  hands  the  government.  It 
was  the  apostles  who  ordained  the  Seven,  Avho  sent 
Peter  and  John  to  Samaria,  who  sat  in  council 
to  determine  the  status  of  the  Gentiles.  In  the 
Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  everywhere  the  apostles  in 
the  plural  are  mentioned  as  the  rulers,  not  a  single 
apostle;  not  St.  Peter,  but  the  whole  college. 

The  Apostolic  Order 

The  Apostolic  Order  was  continued.  Besides 
the  original  twelve,  the  following  are  named  as 
of  the  Order;  Barnabas,  Paul,  Timothy,  Epaph- 


HOLY  ORDERS  181 

roditus  (see  the  Greek  of  Phil.  ii.  25),  Silvauiis, 
Junius,  and  Andronicus  (Rom.  xvi.  7).  Of  these, 
only  St.  Paul  is  said  to  have  seen  our  Lord.  Only 
two  are  said  to  have  performed  miracles.  Hence, 
neither  the  privilege  of  an  eye  witness,  nor  the 
power  of  miracles,  was  necessary  to  the  apostolate. 
Some  had  one  or  both  of  these  privileges,  and 
were  not  called  apostles.  Some  had  neither,  and 
were  so  called.  The  Angels  of  the  Seven  Churches, 
as  can  be  seen  by  the  powers  attributed  to  them, 
were  rulers  in  their  respective  Churches.  The 
word  angel  is  identical  in  meaning  with  the  word 
apostle ;  that  is,  one  sent.  In  after  ages,  the  name 
of  the  order  was  changed  to  that  of  bishop,  a  word 
used  in  the  Xew  Testament  to  refer  to  the  second 
order  of  the  ministry.  Theodoret,  of  the  fourth 
century,  says,  '^The  same  persons  were  anciently 
called  bishops  and  presbyters,  and  whom  we  now 
call  bishops  were  then  called  apostles.  But  in 
process  of  time  the  name  of  apostle  was  appropri- 
ated to  them  who  were  apostles  in  the  strictest 
sense,  and  the  rest  who  had  formerly  the  name  of 
apostles  Avere  styled  bishops.'' 

No  Parity  of  the  Whole  Ministry 

Other  orders  of  the  ministry  are  mentioned  in 
the  Xew  Testament,  as  elders  and  deacons.  These 
had  only  some  of  its  powers,  not  all.  Elders  could 
not  ordain,  for  those  in  Ephesus  required  the  pres- 
ence of  St.  Timothv.     For  the  same  reason,  Titus 


182       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

was  sent  to  Crete.  St.  Philip,  the  deacon,  could 
baptize  and  preach  in  Samaria,  but  could  not  con- 
firm. ■  ^'He  gave  some  apostles,  and  some  prophets, 
and  some  evangelists,  and  some  pastors  and  teach- 
ers" (Eph.  iv.  11).  "Are  all  apostles?  are  all 
prophets  ?  are  all  teachers  ?  are  all  workers  of  mir- 
acles ?"  (I.  Cor.  xii.  29). 

Church  Government 

There  arc  four  kinds  of  Church  government  in 
existence  to-day. 

(a).    Episcopal,  or  government  by  Bishops. 

(b).  Papal,  which  is  really  episcopal,  with  one 
JBishop  ruling  all  the  others. 

(c).  Presbyterian,  or  government  by  a  min- 
istry all  being  of  the  same  order.  To  this  class 
belong  those  who  use  the  name,  also  Lutherans, 
Reformed,  and  Methodists.  Although  Methodists 
have  ministers  styled  Bishops,  they  only  claim  to 
hold  an  office,  not  forming  a  distinct  order,  nor 
tracing  their  succession  back  further  than  to  John 
Wesley,  who  w^as  not  himself  a  Bishop. 

(d).  Congregational,  which  also  includes  Uni- 
tarians and  Baptists. 

The  first  (Episcopal)  alone  is  scriptural. 

The  second  (Papal)  is  the  episcopal  regime 
perverted.     The  other  two  are  modern. 


HOLY  ORDERS  183 

James,  Bishop  of  Jerusalem 

As  Timothy  was  appointed  Bishop  of  Ephesiis, 
and  Titns  of  Crete,  so  James  was  Bishop  and  ruler 
of  the  Church  in  Jerusalem.  This  fact  explains 
many  passages  of  Scripture.  To  him  were  tidings 
taken  that  St.  Peter  had  been  delivered  from 
prison  (Acts  xii.  17).  He  summed  up  the  delib- 
erations of  the  Apostolic  Council  assembled  to 
decide  the  question  concerning  Gentile  circum- 
cision (Acts  XV.  19,  20,  29).  To  him  St.  Paul 
reported  when  he  arrived  in  the  Holy  City  (Acts 
xxi.  18).  He  is  first  mentioned  among  the  pillars 
of  the  Church  in  Jerusalem  (Gal.  i.  19;  ii.  9). 
He  wrote  the  epistle  to  the  twelve  tribes  scattered 
in  various  parts  of  the  world,  for  they  had  come 
in  contact  with  him  when  they  came  to  the  city  to 
keep  the  various  feasts.  All  the  early  Christian 
writers  and  historians  who  mention  James  state 
that  he  was  the  first  Bishop  of  Jerusalem. 

Episcopacy  Universal 

It  is  universally  acknowledged  by  all  historians 
of  whatever  denomination,  and  by  infidel  writers, 
that  the  Church  of  the  second  century,  from  one 
end  of  the  world  to  the  other,  was  episcopal.  Many 
non-episcopal  writers  say  it  was  episcopal  even  in 
the  time  of  St.  John.  If,  now,  the  Apostolic 
Church  was  not  episcopal,  how  does  it  come  that 
so  mighty  a  revolution  could  have  taken  place  in 


184       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

SO  short  a  time,  and  yet  not  have  left  a  sign  of  the 
change,  nor  a  ripple  in  the  ecclesiastical  sea,  nor 
a  protest  from  a  single  clergyman  who  objected  to 
some  Bishop  placing  himself  in  authority  over 
others,  nor  a  single  Church,  from  Spain  in  the 
West  to  India  in  the  East,  that  did  not  retain  the 
original  form — if  episcopacy  was  not  that  form? 
These  facts  are  sufficient  to  show  that  the  Apos- 
tolic Church,  as  well  as  that  of  the  second  century, 
was  episcopal.  Hence  no  protest,  no  revolution, 
was  necessary,  for  all  preserved  the  original  form. 
Contrast  this  with  the  growth  of  the  papacy.  We 
can  trace  every  effort  after  more  power,  and  every 
opposition  to  the  papal  claims.  For  1500  years 
no  Church  existed  without  a  Bishop.  After  that 
we  can  trace  the  rise  of  presbyterial  and  congrega- 
tional forms. 

The  Apostolic  Succession 

The  Xew  Testament  shows  that  St.  James  was 
Bishop  at  Jerusalem,  Timothy  at  Ephesus,  Titus 
at  Crete,  and  Epaphroditus  at  Philippi.  History 
corroborates  these  facts.  St.  Paul  provided  for 
successors.  He  tells  Timothy  to  "commit  to  other 
worthy  men  the  things  thou  hast  heard,  that  they 
might  teach  others  also"  (II.  Tim.  ii.  2).  Clement 
(Phil.  iv.  3),  Bishop  of  Rome  A.  D.  87,  says  "Our 
apostles  knew  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  con- 
tention would  arise  concerning  the  name  of  Bishop 
.    .    .  they  appointed  persons  and  gave  directions. 


HOLY  ORDERS  185 

when  they  should  die,  that  other  approved  men 
should  succeed  in  their  ministry."  Tertullian 
(A.  D.  190)  says,  ^'Let  them  set  forth  the  series 
of  their  Bishops,  so  running  down  the  beginning 
by  succession,  that  the  first  Bishop  may  have  some 
of  the  apostles  or  apostolic  men,  who  continued 
with  the  apostles,  for  their  author  or  predecessor." 
To  give  color  to  these  words,  all  the  principal  sees, 
at  Jerusalem,  Antioch,  Alexandria,  and  Rome, 
kept  lists  of  their  Bishops,  which  are  still  extant. 
Irenaeus  (A.  D.  202)  says,  "We  can  reckon  up 
the  list  of  Bishops  ordained  in  the  Churches  by 
the  apostles  up  to  our  time." 

Objections  Unreasonable 

What  is  called  Apostolic  Succession  is  not  a 
myth,  but  is  often  misunderstood.  The  printed 
Bible  lying  on  our  table  is  not  the  one  written  by 
the  apostles.  It  was  copied  from  another,  and  that 
from  another,  and  so  on  back  to  the  original  manu- 
scripts. That  is  the  apostolic  succession  of  the 
Bible.  Every  man  learned  in  the  law  is  not  a 
practitioner  until  he  has  been  admitted  to  the  bar 
by  the  court.  Xo  one  else  could  give  the  authority. 
The  difference  between  a  quack  doctor  and  a  regu- 
lar physician  is  not  in  the  medical  knowledge  of 
either,  but  in  the  fact  that  one  has  received  a 
diploma  from  an  authorized  college  and  the  other 
has  not.  The  Apostolic  Succession  means  that  the 
apostles  alone  had  a  right  to  ordain  to  the  ministry. 


186       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

and  after  them  the  Bishops  to  whom  it  was  com- 
mitted. This  brings  to  view  another  phase  of  the 
subject. 

The  Sin  of  Korah 

The  ^ew  Testament  tells  us  "^o  man  taketh 
this  honor  to  himself  but  he  that  is  called  of  God" 
(Heb.  V.  4).  When  our  Lord  ordained  His  apos- 
tles, He  said,  ^'Ye  have  not  chosen  Me,  but  I  have 
chosen  you''  (St.  John  xv.  16).  So,  when  the  apos- 
tles ordained  men  to  the  ministry,  they  distinctly 
taught  that  they  were  the  ones  who  gave  the  com- 
mission, and  not  the  people  (Acts  vi.  3;  xiv.  23). 
The  ministry  flows  from  above,  not  from  below. 
St.  Jude  (verse  11)  prophesies  that  the  sin  of 
Korah  (l^um.  xvi.)  would  be  repeated  in  the 
Church.  The  sin  of  Korah  was  that  of  the  Levites 
pushing  themselves  into  the  priesthood;  and  he 
was  aided  by  laymen  (sons  of  Keuben)  trying  to  do 
the  same  thing.  The  sin  has  been  repeated,  when 
presbyters  assume  to  be  Bishops,  and  laymen  ad- 
minister the  sacraments.  In  saying  this,  there  is 
no  denial  of  the  piety,  sincerity,  and  learning  of 
denominational  ministers;  but  it  condemns  the 
source  of  their  authority.  A  man  may  be  honest, 
and  learned  in  the  law,  yet  his  opinions  are  not 
binding  unless  he  is  a  regularly  appointed  judge. 
Wesley  knew  this.  He  preached  upon  it,  taking 
Korah  as  his  text,  and  strove  to  restrain  his  fol- 
lowers from  the  sin.     ]\Ien  forced  themselves  un- 


HOLY  ORDERS  187 

duly  into  the  apostolic  office  from  the  very  begin- 
ning. St.  John  wrote  to  the  Angel  of  the  Church 
of  Ephesus,  ^^Thou  hast  tried  them  which  say  they 
are  apostles  and  are  not,  and  hast  found  them 
liars"  (Eev.  ii.  2). 

The  Episcopate  and  Unity 

In  speaking  of  the  Church  (Chap.  V),  we  saw 
it  was  our  Lord's  design  that  the  Church  should 
be  one.  Unity  is  one  of  the  four  marks  expressed 
in  the  Creed.  It  forms  part  of  the  petitions  of 
the  historic  liturgy.  The  best  way  of  preserving 
or  bringing  about  that  unity,  must  be  the  divine 
plan.  A  deviation  from  it  is  Satan's  mode  of  di- 
viding the  Body  of  Christ.  Church  history  shows 
us  plainly  that  episcopacy  is  the  only  form  of 
government  which  has  united  the  whole  Church. 
Such  was  its  glorious  condition  in  the  second  cen- 
tury. The  rise  of  the  papacy  caused  the  division 
between  the  East  and  the  West,  the  first  great 
schism  in  Christendom.  The  East  never  did  ac- 
cept the  papal  idea,  so  the  papacy  was  never  uni- 
versal, and  never  has  united  the  whole  Church. 
The  East  rejected  the  papacy,  but  has  retained 
through  all  the  centuries  the  episcopate.  The 
modern  forms  of  Presbvterianism  and  Cono^reffa- 
tionalism  not  only  have  never  drawn  the  historic 
bodies  into  unity,  but  have  been  unable  to  preserve 
it  among  themselves.     The  Episcopate  once  united 


188       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  whole  Church.  Its  tendency  is  towards  unity, 
and  it  will  in  God's  time  again  unite  all  calling 
themselves  Christians. 

The  Threefold  Ministry 

The  ministry  in  the  New  Testament  and  in  the 
early  Church  was  threefold.  Ignatius  (2nd  cen- 
tury) compared  it  to  the  Three  Persons  of  the 
Trinity.  His  writings  are  full  of  the  three  offices. 
"Give  ear  to  the,  Bishoj^s,  and  to  the  presbyters  and 
deacons  subject  to  him."  He  that  doeth  anything 
without  the  Bishop  and  presbyters  and  deacons  is 
not  pure  in  conscience."  ''Without  these  there  is 
no  Church."  Jerome  (4th  century)  tells  us  that 
the  Bishops,  priests,  and  deacons  bore  the  same 
relation  to  the  Christian  Church  that  the  High 
Priest,  Priest,  and  Levite  did  to  the  Jewish. 

Objections  to  the  Priesthood 

It  is  truly  said  that  we  all  belong  to  a  royal 
priesthood.  So  did  all  Israel  (Ex.  xix.  16),  yet 
Aaron  and  his  sons  were  specially  appointed.  The 
Christian  priesthood,  like  that  of  Christ,  is  after 
a  better  order  than  that  of  Aaron.  He  is  a  priest 
after  the  order  of  Melchisedec,  who  as  a  type  of 
Christ  offered  bread  and  wine  (Heb.  vii.).  The 
priest  is  Christ's  ambassador  to  reconcile  the  people 
to  God  (II.  Cor.  V.  19,  20).  He  is  the  leader  of 
the  people,  presenting  their  prayer  and  praises,  a 
"steward  of  the  mvsteries." 


HOLY  ORDERS  189 

The  Succession  of  the  American   Episcopal  Church 

The  succession  of  the  American  Episcopal 
Church  is  traced  back  to  several  of  the  apostles. 
The  first  American  Bishop  was  Seabury,  conse- 
crated by  Scottish  Bishops;  the  next  three,  White, 
Provoost,  and  Madison,  were  consecrated  in  Eng- 
land. The  first  x\rchbishop  of  Canterbury  (596) 
was  consecrated  by  French  Bishops,  who  traced 
their  authority  back  to  St.  John.  The  early 
British  Bishops  of  Wales,  whom  Augustine  found 
in  England,  derived  their  orders  most  probably 
from  St.  James  of  Jerusalem,  and  this  line  was 
consolidated  with  the  Anglo-Saxon.  Connection 
has  also  been  made  with  the  Bishops  of  Kome, 
especially  through  Theodore,  Archbishop  of  Can- 
terbury in  the  seventh  century,  by  which  the  suc- 
cession is  traced  to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  At  the 
time  of  the  Reformation,  two-thirds  of  the  Irish 
Bishops  conformed,  and  have  united  in  consecra- 
tions. Since  the  Eeformation,  Marc,  Archbishop 
of  Spalatro,  Italy,  left  the  Roman  communion, 
entered  the  Anglican,  and  assisted  at  the  consecra- 
tion of  several  Bishops.  The  succession  is  thus 
not  a  mere  chain,  but  a  network,  reaching  back 
to  the  beginning. 

Diocesan  Episcopacy 

As  the  Church  enlarged,  the  Apostles  separated, 
each  taking  a  different  field  of  labor.  This  plan 
gradually    developed     into    diocesan    episcopacy. 


190       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Germs  of  it  we  find  in  the  ^ew  Testament.  Thus 
to  St.  Peter  was  committed  the  Gospel  of  the  cir- 
cumcision, and  to  St.  Paul  that  of  the  uncircum- 
cision.  Timothy  was  Bishop  of  Ephesus,  Titus 
of  Crete.  While  each  was  Bishop  of  the  whole 
Church,  and  the  exercise  of  his  functions  was 
valid,  yet,  in  general  speaking,  his  responsibility 
extended  only  to  the  territory  committed  to  his 
charge.  To  invade  the  territory  of  another  Bishop 
(Kom.  XV.  20)  tended  to  create  a  schism,  and  the 
Church  for  its  own  protection  forbade  such  acts, 
unless  performed  with  the  consent  of  the  Bishop 
presiding  over  that  district.  When  dioceses  were 
subdivided  into  parishes,  the  same  rule  was  ex- 
tended to  the  acts  of  priests,  restricting  them 
within  their  own  parochial  lines.  In  other  words, 
at  ordination  a  man  receives  a  universal  mission, 
but  limited  jurisdiction.  It  was  the  disregard  of 
these  principles  which  led  the  Methodists  into 
schism.  Wesley  said,  ''The  world  is  my  parish.'^ 
He  confounded  his  mission  with  his  jurisdiction, 
restrained  for  the  sake  of  unity.  The  Council  of 
'Nice  (325  A.  D.)  restricted  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
to  his  o^vn  province,  but  in  later  times  he  disobeyed 
the  canon,  and  claimed  authority  in  other  dioceses. 

Metropolitans 

While  all  Bishops  have,  like  the  apostles,  equal 
powers,  some  have  been  placed  over  others,  for 
purposes  of  discipline,  calling  councils,  and  con- 


HOLY  ORDERS  191 

solidating  the  Church.  These  were  called  Metro- 
politans, and  the  others,  Suffragans.  Metropol- 
itans are  sometimes  called  Archbishops;  and  the 
four  great  sees,  of  Kome,  xintioch,  Alexandria,  and 
Constantinople,  were  called  Patriarchates.  The 
Eastern  Church  has  added  the  Patriarch  of  Mos- 
cow, in  place  of  the  Bishop  of  Kome,  whom  it 
excommunicates.  England  has  two  Archbishops, 
Ireland  two,  the  colonies  various  Archbishops  and 
other  Metropolitans.  In  the  United  States,  the 
ranking  Bishop  is  called  the  Presiding  Bishop.  In 
the  early  Church,  the  title  of  pope,  or  papa,  was 
given  to  all  Bishops,  preeminently  to  the  Bishop 
of  Alexandria;  in  the  West,  it  was  gradually  re- 
stricted to  the  Bishop  of  Borne. 

The  Bishop 

The  Bishop,  as  the  successor  and  representative 
of  an  apostle,  is  the  fountain  head  of  all  authority. 
It  is  his  peculiar  prerogative  to  consecrate  other 
Bishops.  This  he  does  in  conjunction  with  at 
least  two  others,  for  every  Bishop  must  have  at 
least  three  consecrators.  This  gives  him  a  network 
of  lines  leading  back  to  the  apostles,  and  assures 
him  that  his  succession  is  valid.  A  Bishop  also 
ordains  priests  and  deacons,  confirms  the  baptized, 
and  consecrates  churches.  He  is  the  chief  pastor 
in  his  diocese,  responsible  to  the  Good  Shepherd, 
and  has  the  "care  of  all  the  Churches."    The  chief 


192       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

church  in  his  diocese  is  his  Cathedral,  where  he 
has  his  seat. 

Priests 

Priests  can  baptize,  celebrate  the  Holy  Com- 
munion, declare  the  forgiveness  of  sins  to  peni- 
tents, pronounce  the  benediction,  and  regulate  the 
affairs  of  their  parishes.  They  usually  serve  an 
apprenticeship  in  the  diaconate.  St.  Paul  says 
they  that  '^ise  the  office  of  a  deacon  Avell  purchase 
to  themselves  a  good  degree."  All  priests  are  equal 
in  spiritual  functions,  but  various  titles  have  been 
given  to  those  holding  certain  offices. 

A  Rector  is  the  head  clergyman  of  a  parish. 

A  Vicar  is  the  head  of  a  parish  or  part  of  a 
parish,  representing  some  power  which  appoints 
him. 

A  Curate  is  an  assistant ;  though  the  tenn  origi- 
nally meant  the  chief  priest  of  a  cure  or  parish. 

A  Dean  is  the  head  of  a  Cathedral. 

Canons  are  other  clergy  attached  to  the  Cathe- 
dral staff. 

Archdeacons  or  Rural  Deans  assist  the  Bishop 
in  certain  portions  of  his  diocese,  generally  having 
charge  of  a  specified  portion  of  the  missionary 
work. 

Deacons 

The  first  deacons  are  usually  supposed  to  have 
been  the  seven,  of  whom    St.    Stephen  was  one. 


HOLY  ORDERS  193 

and  Sapphira  held  the  office  for  the  Hebrews,  as 
the  seven  did  for  the  Grecians.  The  office  is  min- 
isterial. St.  Philip  preached  and  baptized  in 
Samaria.  A  deacon  can  also  assist  in  the  Holy 
Communion,  read  prayers,  but  cannot  pronounce 
the  absolution  or  benediction.  A  deacon  is  per- 
mitted to  preach  if  specially  licensed  for  the  pur- 
pose by  the  Bishop. 

Ordinations 

From  very  early  times  ordinations  were  ap- 
pointed at  the  Ember  seasons,  which  are  days  of 
fasting,  in  imitation  of  the  disciples  and  prophets 
at  x\ntioch  (Acts  xiii.  1,  2).  These  days  are  as 
old  at  least  as  the  third  century.  The  service  of 
ordination  is  bound  up  in  the  Prayer  Book,  and 
like  the  other  services,  is  very  ancient  in  form, 
with  some  modern  alterations.  The  laying  on  of 
hands  is  the  outward  sign.  It  was  thus  that  Moses 
appointed  his  successor,  Joshua,  and  that  the  apos- 
tles appointed  the  seven. 

Vestments 

The  Lord  told  Moses  to  make  Aaron  and  his 
sons  ''garments  for  glory  and  for  beauty"  (Ex. 
xxviii.  2,  and  40).  This  reason  has  passed  into 
the  Christian  Church.  Symbolically,  the  white 
surplice  represents  the  robe  of  righteousness,  the 
white  robes  of  the  heavenly  court,  and  the  pureness 
of  divine  service.     Its  utility  consists  in  lending 


194      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

dignity  to  the  worship,  in  hiding  the  ever-changing 
fashions  of  men,  and  in  clothing  rich  and  jooor 
alike  impartially.  Vestments  are  early  mentioned 
by  Church  writers.  Polycrates,  quoted  by  Euse- 
bius  (fourth  century),  says  St.  James  at  Jeru- 
salem, and  St.  John  at  Ephesus,  wore  the  mitre  of 
the  High  Priest.  Eusebius  also  speaks  of  the 
^^sacred  go^vn  and  sacerdotal  garments  worn  by 
Bishops  and  priests."  The  Apostolic  Constitu- 
tions (third  century)  refer  to  the  ''Splendidam 
vestem/'  The  following  are  the  names  of  some 
of  the  vestments  w^orn  by  the  clergy: 

A  Cassock  is  a  long,  black  coat  (purple  for 
Bishops)  put  on  under  the  surplice.  It  reminds 
the  wearer  of  his  separation  from  the  world. 

A  Surplice  is  a  white  vestment  usually  extend- 
ing to  the  knees  or  below.  It  reminds  the  wearer 
of  the  purity  of  God's  service. 

A  Cotta  is  a  short  surplice  worn  by  choristers. 

A  Stole  is  a  narrow  scarf  worn  on  the  shoul- 
der, the  ends  hanging  down  in  front.  It  reminds 
the  wearer  of  the  yoke  of  Christ.  It  is  generally 
of  a  color  appropriate  to  the  Church  season  (see 
page  250).  Deacons  usually  wear  it  on  the  left 
shoulder. 

A  Scarf,  generally  of  black,  is  w4der  than  a 
stole,  and  is  frequently  used  in  choir  offices. 

A  Chasuble  is  worn  over  a  tight-fitting  surplice 
called  an  alh.  It  is  often  of  the  color  of  the  stole, 
and  richly  embroidered. 


HOLY  ORDERS  195 

A  Cope  is  a  handsome  cloak  worn  by  some 
dignitaries  in  Church  processions. 

A  Biretia  is  a  square  cap  for  out-of-door 
service. 

The  Chimere  and  Rochet  are  peculiar  to  a 
Bishop. 

For  further  reading  in  regard  to  Holy  Orders 
in  the  Church,  and  discussion  of  their  history,  see 
Bishop  Gore's  The  Church  and  the  Ministry,  fol- 
lowed by  his  Orders  and  Unity. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    FORMS   OF   SPIRITUAL    LIFE 

THE  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  assumes  a  visible 
form  in  the  Church.  So  true  spiritual  life  is 
connected  with  the  outward  forms,  and  is  made 
analogous  to  natural  life.  It  has  birth,  nourish- 
ment, disease,  death.  The  spiritual  life  of  the 
Christian  has  a  father  in  Christ,  the  second  Adam, 
and  a  mother  in  the  Church,  His  Bride,  the  anti- 
type of  Eve  (see  page  31). 

Spiritual  Birth 

The  spiritual  man's  outward  birth  is  Baptism, 
for  says  the  Saviour,  ^ ^Except  a  man  be  born  of 
water  and  of  the  Spirit"  (St.  John  iii.  5).  In 
Titus  iii.  5,  this  is  called  the  "washing  of  regenera- 
tion," that  is  of  a  new  birth.  By  nature,  we  are 
born  children  of  wrath  (Rom.  v.  12;  Eph.  ii.  3), 
and  are  now  declared  "children  of  grace"  (Gal.  iii. 
26,  27;  Eph.  ii.  5).  This  is  not  a  new  nature 
given  to  us,  but  a  new  state;  that  is,  the  baptized 
can    obtain    eternal    life    if   they   will    persevere. 


THE  FORMS  OF  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  197 

Because  Baptism  is  spiritual  birth,  it  can  never  be 
repeated  (Eph.  iv.  5),  for  one  can  be  bom  natur- 
ally only  once,  so  only  once  spiritually. 

Spiritual  Food 

The  spiritual  life  needs  food,  both  meat  and 
drink.  Hence  "Bread  which  came  do^\Ti  from 
heaven"  is  given  in  Christ  the  ''Bread  of  Life," 
the  ''Bread  we  break"  (I.  Cor.  xi.  16),  sometimes 
called  "Angels'  Food"  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  25).  Christ  is 
also  spiritual  drink  (I.  Cor.  x.  4,  16 ;  St.  John  iv. 
14;  vi.  55).  The  frequency  of  taking  this  food 
depends  largely  upon  how  often  one  "hungers  and 
thirsts  after  righteousness."  The  apostles  cele- 
brated daily  (Acts  ii.  47).  The  rule  in  the  early 
Church,  in  its  purest  and  best  days,  was  frequent ; 
at  least  weekly. 

Spiritual  Medicine 

The  soul,  the  seat  of  spiritual  life,  becomes 
diseased  by  sin,  and  needs  healing.  Under  the 
law,  leprosy  seems  to  have  been  sin's  type.  Christ 
the  great  Physician  can  heal  all  kinds  of  sin,  spir- 
itual blindness,  or  deafness  or  paralysis.  Baptism 
was  called  by  the  ancients  "illumination"  (Heb. 
X.  32),  opening  of  eyes,  as  the  blind  man  was  sent 
to  the  pool  of  Siloam  to  wash.  The  elements  of 
the  Holy  Communion  are  like  unto  the  hems  of 


198      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Christ's  garments,  the  fringe  of  His  Incarnation, 
which  the  woman  with  an  issue  of  blood  touched 
with  faith,  and  was  healed.  The  early  Fathers  call 
the  Communion  ^'salve  of  immortality,''  ^'defence 
of  faith,"  "pledge  of  eternal  health,"  and  "con- 
servatory of  everlasting  life." 

Spiritual  Asylum 

The  Church  is  thus  the  "inn"  to  which  the  good 
Samaritan  took  the  man  who  fell  among  the 
thieves.  The  man  is  Adam,  and  Adam's  race, 
going  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  from  Para- 
dise to  a  world  of  sin,  and  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  devil  is  left  half  dead,  not  entirely  deprived 
of  life,  not  entirely  depraved,  but  very  far  gone 
from  righteousness.  The  law  in  the  person  of 
priest  and  Levite  could  not  benefit  him.  Christ 
carries  him  into  the  inn,  and  leaves  two  pence  for 
his  restoration,  that  is,  two  testaments,  or  two 
sacraments,  and  goes  away  promising  to  return. 

Spiritual  Growth 

Spiritual  life  is  generally  represented  as 
"growth  in  grace,"  adding  "virtue  to  virtue"  (II. 
Peter  i.  5-7)  and  is  illustrated  by  the  grain  of 
corn,  "first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the 


THE  FORMS  OF  SPIRITUAL  LIFE  199 

full  corn  in  the  ear"  (St.  Mark  iv.  28).  The 
natural  body  changes  its  elements  every  few  years. 
So  the  spiritual  must  put  off  the  old  man,  and  put 
on  the  new.  We  must  mortify  the  flesh  by  fasting 
and  almsgiving,  cut  loose  from  the  old  Adam,  and 
by  prayer  and  sacraments  bring  ourselves  into  con- 
tact with  the  second  Adam. 

Spiritual  Death 

When  a  branch  is  cut  from  a  vine  it  dies.  So 
spiritual  death  may  occur  by  apostacy  from  the 
faith,  a  load  of  unrepented  sin,  or  a  neglect  of  the 
means  of  grace.  But  even  then,  though  all  such 
are  ^'dead  in  trespasses  and  sin,"  yet  the  ^'Blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin."  This  is 
shown  in  three  different  miracles.  The  daughter 
of  Jairus  was  just  dead ;  the  son  of  the  widow  of 
Xain  was  about  to  be  buried;  and  Lazarus  had 
been  dead  four  days ;  yet  Jesus  restored  them  all 
to  life.  He  can  revive  those  just  beginning  to 
sin,  those  steeped  in  sin,  and  even  those  apparently 
lost  in  sin. 

Natural   Death 

What  we  call  natural  death  is  a  benefit  to  the 
soul  in  grace,  for  it  is  a  translation  to  spiritual 
growth  without  the  trammels  of  worldly  tempta- 
tion. To  a  soul  out  of  faith,  or  strained  with  un- 
repented sin,  natural  death  commences  the  punish- 


200       THE  CHURCHI^IAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

ment  which  culminates  in  hell.  The  fear  of  death 
which  Christ  removed  was  not  physical  pain,  nor 
the  struggle  of  a  man's  vital  force,  but  the  fear  of 
the  hereafter.  The  sting  of  death  He  removed, 
for  in  Him  there  is  no  condemnation. 

The  Sacraments 

Intimately  connected  with  the  spiritual  life  are 
the  sacraments  ministered  by  the  Church  to  the 
faithful.  The  word  sacrament  was  applied  to  the 
oath  which  a  Koman  soldier  took  to  the  emperor, 
and  from  this  act  was  adopted  by  the  Church,  to 
indicate  how  the  Christian  soldier  swears  allegi- 
ance to  Christ.  The  Greek  Church  calls  them 
Mysteries,  from  the  apostle's  language,  ''Stewards 
of  the  mysteries"  (I.  Cor.  iv.  1).  They  call  many 
things  mysteries  which,  with  us,  do  not  obtain  the 
dignity  of  a  sacrament.  With  them,  prayer  is  a 
mystery.  In  the  West,  the  number  of  sacraments 
was  gradually  fixed  at  seven,  because  it  is  a  sacred 
number.  In  both  the  East  and  the  West,  a  vast 
distinction  is  made  in  favor  of  the  two  great  sacra- 
ments, "Baptism,  and  the  Supper  of  our  Lord." 
At  the  Reformation,  the  tendency  was  to  speak 
only  of  these  two,  although  other  acts  were  re- 
garded as  sacramental.  Those  bodies  which  have 
lost  the  apostolic  ministry  can  only  recognize  two. 
Quakers  have  none.  By  the  word  sacrament  is 
meant  "an  outward  and  visible  sign  of  an  inward 
and  spiritual  grace." 


THE  FORMS  OF  SPIRITUAL  LIFE 


201 


NAME 

SIGN 

GRACE 

Baptism. 

Water. 

The  washing  away 
of  sin  and  the 
new  birth. 

Eucharist. 

Bread   and    Wine. 

Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ. 

Confirmation. 

Laying  on  of  hands. 

Gift  of  the  Spirit 
for  daily  life. 

Absolution. 

The  spoken  word  of 

Reconciliation         t  o 

the  priest. 

God. 

Holy  Orders. 

Laying  on  of  hands. 

Gift  of  the  Spirit 
for  a  special  pur- 

Marriage. 

Clasping   hands   and 

Blessing  of  the  mar- 

putting on  a  ring. 

ried  life,  signify- 
ing the  union  of 
Christ  with  His 
Church. 

Anointing    of    the 
sick. 

Oil. 

Healing  the  soul. 

Article  XXV.  of  the  Prayer  Book  is  sometimes 
quoted  as  against  the  idea  of  seven  sacraments, 
because  it  speaks  of  the  lesser  five  as  "commonly 
called  sacraments.''  The  Prayer  Book  speaks  in 
the  same  language  of  "The  Birthday  of  Christ, 
commonly  called  Christmas.''  The  Article  further 
says  these  five  are  not  to  be  counted  sacraments  of 
the  Gospel,  being  such  "as  have  grown  partly  of 
the  corrupt  following  of  the  apostles,  partly  are 
states  of  life  allowed  in  Scripture."  This  refers 
to  the  abuses  which  gathered  around  them  in  the 
Middle  Ages.  The  Prayer  Book  could  not  con- 
demn Confirmation,  which  is  surely  not  a  corrupt 
following  of  the  apostles,  nor  a  state  of  life.  What 
the  Article  means  is  that  these  sacraments  are  not 
on  the  same  plane  as  Baptism  and  the  Supper  of 


202       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  Lord,  yet  the  Prayer  Book  retains  provision 
for  the  nse  of  four  of  these  five,  extreme  unction 
alone  excepted.  Eead  Staley's  The  Catholic  Re- 
ligion for  a  concise  statement  on  the  sacraments 
and  Church  doctrine. 


CHAPTEE  XIII 

BAPTISM 
The  Names  of  Baptism 

WE  learn  the  meaning  of  a  sacrament  by  the 
names  applied  to  it.     Here  are  some  given 
to  Baptism: 

1.  Baptism  from  the  application  of  water.  In 
the  New  Testament,  the  word  is  occasionally  used 
metaphorically  (St.  Matt.  xx.  22).  But  it  gener- 
ally has  reference  either  to  the  Jewish  ceremonial 
of  purification  (St.  Mark  vii.  4)  or  to  the  Chris- 
tian sacrament. 

2.  The  Font  or  Laver.  These  terms  also  have 
reference  to  the  outward  rite.  Font  is  derived 
from  a  word  meaning  a  spring,  where  anciently 
Baptism  was  often  administered. 

3.  Regeneration,  that  is,  being  born  again 
(St.  John  iii.  5).  Baptism  is  the  new  birth.  In 
modern  times,  Protestant  bodies  have  confounded 
this  word  with  conversion,  but  it  is  not  so  used  in 
the  New  Testament,  nor  by  early  Church  writers. 

4.  The   Seal,      Early   writers    in   using   this 


204       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

term  partly  have  reference  to  such  passages  as 
II.  Cor.  i.  22,  and  Eph.  i.  13,  and  partly  to  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  which  the  candidates  received 
in  the  rite. 

5.  Christening  comes  from  Christ,  for  Bap- 
tism is  a  putting  on  of  Christ  (Gal.  iii.  27).  The 
word  means  anointing,  and  formerly  the  candidate 
was  anointed  with  oil  (I.  John  ii.  27;  II.  Cor.  i. 
21),  a  sign  of  being  anointed  with  the  Spirit. 

6.  Initiation.  In  the  days  of  persecution,  the 
Church  kept  her  mysteries  concealed  from  the 
world,  nor  were  they  revealed  until  Baptism.  The 
candidate  was  thus  made  one  of  her  members. 
The  rite  initiated  him,  brought  him  from  darkness 
to  light,  that  is  an  illumination  (Heb.  vi.  4). 

The  Commands 

The  commands  for  Baptism  are  numerous.  To 
Nicodemus  our  Lord  said,  ^'Except  a  man  be  born 
of  water  and  the  Spirit"  (St.  John  iii.  5).  He 
commissioned  His  apostles  to  go  "teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them"  (St.  Matt,  xxviii.  19).  When 
the  men  who  were  "pricked  in  their  hearts,"  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  asked,  "Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  do?"  St.  Peter  told  them,  "Kepent  and 
be  baptized."  Everywhere  we  find  it  was  the  first 
outward  step  in  the  Christian  life  (see  Acts  ix.  18 ; 
X.  47,  xvi.  15  and  33). 


BAPTISM  205 

The  Flood 

The  Flood  was  a  t}-pe  of  Baptism  (I.  Peter 
iii.  20).  As  'Noah,  was  saved  in  the  ark,  in  which 
were  clean  and  unclean  beasts,  so  we  are  saved  in 
the  "ark  of  Christ's  Church,''  to  which  Baptism  is 
the  door,  and  in  which  are  wheat  and  tares,  good 
and  bad.  In  the  ark  only  eight  persons  were 
saved;  so  now,  "many  are  called,  but  few  are 
chosen."  The  dove  found  rest  in  the  ark,  and  as 
a  type  of  the  Holy  Spirit  (St.  Matt.  iii.  16) 
brought  the  olive  branch  of  God's  peace  to  man. 
The  raven  is  like  those  wandering  in  sin,  who  will 
not  return  to  the  heavenly  rest. 

The  Passage  of  the  Red  Sea 

The  passage  of  the  Ked  Sea  was  a  type  of 
Baptism  (I.  Cor.  x.  2).  The  unbaptized  live  in 
an  Egyptian  bondage.  They  seek  deliverance  by 
placing  the  waters  of  Baptism  between  them  and 
their  old  life.  Temptations  try  to  follow,  and  will 
until  forever  droMTied  from  the  memory,  as  the 
Egyptians  were  in  the  Ked  Sea.  The  wilderness 
of  Sinai  is  this  world,  in  which,  as  pilgrims,  we 
travel  towards  Canaan,  the  heavenly  Jerusalem, 
fed  by  heavenly  manna,  and  occasionally  longing 
for  the  "fleshpots  of  Egypt,"  the  pleasures  of  our 
old  sins. 


206       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Other  Types 

Baptism  was  also  foreshadowed  in  the  Levitical 
ablutions^  the  cleansing  of  ^aaman,  our  Lord's  dis- 
course with  the  woman  of  Samaria  at  Jacob's  well, 
and  bidding  the  blind  man  to  wash  in  the  pool  of 
Siloam  in  order  to  see.  In  heaven,  before  the 
throne,  there  is  a  ^^sea  of  glass,"  and  all  saints 
must  be  'Svashed  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,"  out 
of  whose  pierced  side  came  blood  and  water.  As 
Circumcision  was  typical  of  cutting  away  sin,  so 
Baptism  is  a  washing  of  it  away.  Hence  the  two 
rites  are  coupled  by  St.  Paul  (Col.  ii.  11,  13). 

Effects  of  Baptism 

The  Xew  Testament  is  very  explicit  as  to  the 
effects  of  Baptism.  It  remits  sin  (Acts  ii.  38). 
It  washes  away  sin  (Acts  xxii.  16).  It  saves  us 
(I.  Pet.  iii.  21;  St.  Mark  xvi.  16).  It  cleanses 
(Eph.  V.  25,  26).  By  it  we  are  admitted  into 
covenant  with  God  (Gal.  iii.  27)  under  the  Chris- 
tian dispensation,  as  Circumcision  did  under  the 
Jewish  (Gen.  xvii.  10).  It  grafts  us  on  the  true 
Vine.  It  buries  us  with  Christ,  to  be  dead  unto 
sin,  but  alive  unto  God  (Rom.  vi.  3-11). 

Subjects  of  Baptism 

Since  the  Reformation,  a  controversy  has 
arisen  concerning  infant  Baptism.  In  the  l^ew 
Testament  we  read  of  whole  families  receiving  the 
rite  (Acts  xvi.  15,  33 ;  I.  Cor.  i.  16).     "The  prom- 


BAPTISM  207 

ise  is  to  you  and  to  your  children"  (Acts  ii.  38, 
39).  Our  Lord  said  to  Xicodemus,  ''Except  a  man 
(Tis,  anyone,  St.  John  iii.  3)  be  born  of  water  and 
the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
heaven."  Again  He  said,  ''Suffer  little  children 
to  come  unto  Me."  Baptism  has  taken  the  place 
of  Circumcision,  and  every  male  was  circumcised 
when  eight  days  old,  or  excluded  from  the  congre- 
gation until  circumcised.  The  eighth  day  was  a 
favorite  time  for  Baptism  after  the  analogy  of 
Jewish  circumcision.  In  the  third  century,  a 
council,  assembled  at  Carthage,  ruled  that  under 
the  Christian  dispensation  the  rite  might  take  place 
earlier.  Writers  of  the  second  century,  as  Justin 
Martyr,  and  Irenaeus,  might  be  quoted  to  show 
how  the  early  Church  received  babes  to  its  bosom. 

Objections  to  Infant  Baptism 

It  is  said  there  is  no  direct  command  for  bap- 
tizing infants  in  the  Xew  Testament.  Neither  is 
there  a  direct  command  for  administering  the  Com- 
munion to  women,  for  keeping  the  Lord's  Day, 
for  building  houses  of  worship,  and  many  other 
things  usually  recognized.  But  there  is  a  com- 
mand. Our  Saviour  said,  except  any  one  is  bom 
of  "water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven"  (St.  John  iii.  5).  It  is  said 
that  faith  is  essential  to  Baptism,  and  that  infants 
cannot  believe.  This  statement  is  based  upon  St. 
Mark  xvi.  16.     The  statement  proves  too  much. 


208       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

If  infants  cannot  be  baptized,  because  they  cannot 
believe,  it  must  follow  that  they  will  be  damned 
(see  last  clause  of  the  verse).  Infants  have  a 
passive  faith.  They  have  the  faith  of  their  parents. 
When  properly  instructed,  they  believe  what  their 
parents  believe,  and  do  not  change  their  opinions 
until  mature.  Some  of  our  Lord's  miracles  were 
performed  in  response  to  the  faith  of  the  person 
bringing  the  sick  to  be  healed,  and  not  on  account 
of  the  faith  of  the  recipient  of  His  blessing.  This 
was  true  of  the  Syrophenician  woman  whose 
daughter  was  possessed,  the  nobleman  whose  son 
had  a  fever,  and  the  centurion  whose  servant  had 
the  palsy. 

Modes  of  Baptism 

At  the  Reformation  a  sect  arose  which  recog- 
nized only  immersion  as  the  mode  of  Baptism. 
They  claimed  that  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  Greek 
word,  haptizo.  The  word  is  generic  in  its  sig- 
nificance, and  means  any  mode  of  applying  water. 
It  is  like  our  English  word,  travel.  One  may 
tramp,  or  drive,  or  ride,  or  go  by  foot,  or  horse,  or 
steam,  and  he  is  said  to  be  travelling.  In  the  Xew 
Testament,  the  word  is  used  where  it  is  practically 
impossible  to  mean  dipping.  Thus  in  St.  Mark 
vii.  2-4,  the  word  is  twice  translated  washing. 
"Except  they  wash  (Greek,  baptize)  they  eat  not; 
and  many  other  things  there  be  which  they  have  re- 
ceived to  hold,  as  the  washing  (Greek,  baptizing) 


BAPTISM  209 

of  cups  and  pots  and  brazen  vessels  and  tables." 
^'Water  pots  of  stone  after  the  manner  of  the  puri- 
fying of  the  Jews,  containing  two  or  three  firkins 
apiece"  (St.  John  ii.  6)  were  kept  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  it  was  impossible  to  immerse  pots  or 
tables  in  them.     The  orientals  washed  their  hands 
(St.  Mark  vii.   2-4)   by  pouring  water  on  them 
(II.  Kings  iii.  11).     Our  Lord  told  His  disciples 
they  would  be  baptized  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  not 
many  days  after  His  ascension  (Acts  i.  5).     This 
is  described  as  a  pouring  (Acts  ii.  18).     The  five 
thousand  baptized  in  one  day,  and  the  jailor  of 
Philippi  baptized  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  could 
scarcely  have  been  immersed.     The  earliest  picture 
of  our  Lord's  Baptism,  one  of  the  third  century, 
represents  Him  and  St.  John  in  the  Jordan  waist 
deep,  and  St.  John  is  pouring  water  on  His  head, 
a  dove   hovering  over  the   scene.      In  the   Cata- 
combs was  found  a  small  hole  cut  in  the  rock,  in 
which  Baptism  was  administered.     It  is  too  small 
to  immerse  even  a  babe.     Writers  of  the  second 
century  speak  of  Baptism  taking  place  in  springs 
and  rivulets. 

The  Baptismal  Service 

Part  of  the  Baptismal  service  of  the  Prayer 
Book  is  very  ancient,  and  part  was  added  to  the 
English  service  from  a  German  source  that  fol- 
lowed ancient  precedents.  As  it  now  stands,  it 
consists  of  three  distinct  and  separate  offices  com- 


210       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

bined:  1.  Order  for  making  a  Catechumen.  2. 
Blessing  the  font.  3.  The  rite  of  Baptism.  The 
first  contained  many  ceremonies  at  the  chnrch 
door  now  abolished,  as  placing  salt  in  the  mouth, 
and  exorcising  the  devil.  Some  prayers  remain 
Avhich  show  a  trace  of  the  latter  custom  (Grant 
that  the  old  Adam,  etc.).  The  questions,  ''Dost 
thou  renounce  the  devil,"  etc.,  ''Dost  thou  believe," 
etc.,  "Wilt  thou  then  obediently  keep,"  etc.,  are 
as  old  as  the  second  century.  They  are  based  upon 
or  referred  to  in  Acts  viii.  37  and  I.  Tim.  vi.  12. 
Giving  a  name  at  Baptism  follows  a  custom  at 
Circumcision  (Gen.  xvii.  5-10;  St.  Luke  i.  59-63; 
ii.  21),  hence  is  called  our  Christian  name.  The 
unbaptized  have  given  names. 

Sponsors 

The  Baptismal  service  closes  Avith  an  address 
to  the  sponsors.  These  are  sometimes  called  God- 
parents, because  their  office  brings  about  a  new 
birth  of  the  candidate  to  God.  Some  think  the 
"faithful  witness"  in  Isa.  viii.  2  refers  to  them, 
and  that  the  custom  was  adopted  from  the  Jews. 
They  existed  in  the  Church  in  the  second  century. 
The  Church  expects  them  to  fulfil  their  duty. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

CONFIRMATION 

CONFIRMATION  is  the  supplement  of  Bap- 
tism. In  former  times,  when  the  Bishop  was 
present,  the  two  were  coupled  as  one  service.  It 
is  so  yet  in  the  Eastern  Church,  where  Confirma- 
tion is  administered  by  oil  blessed  by  a  Bishop, 
even  to  an  infant.    Its  names  are : 

Confirmation,  in  which  God  confirms  and 
strengthens  us;  and  now,  as  the  rite  is  deferred 
until  the  child  reaches  years  of  discretion,  the  lat- 
ter confirms  his  baptismal  vows. 

The  Laying  on  of  Hands.  This  name  is  de- 
rived from  the  rite  (Acts  viii.  20). 

The  Unction,  that  is,  the  anointing  (I.  John 
ii.  27).  This  name  and  the  next  are  also  used  of 
Baptism. 

The  Sealing  (II.  Cor.  i.  22 ;  Eph.  i.  13 ;  iv. 
30)  ;  marking  them  out  as  God's  children,  restamp- 
ing  them  with  the  image  of  God. 

Under  the  Law 

The  Laying  on  of  Hands  in  benediction  is  an 
old  form.  Jacob  thus  blessed  the  sons  of  Joseph 
(Gen.  xlviii.  14-16).    Christ  took  little  children  in 


212       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

His  arms,  ^'laid  His  hands  upon  them,  and  blessed 
them"  (St.  Mark  x.  16).  At  the  age  of  twelve, 
all  Hebrews  assumed  their  responsibilities,  and 
were  confirmed.  They  thus  became  '^sons  of  the 
Law."  The  custom  is  still  in  vogue  among  them. 
When  twelve,  our  Lord  went  up  to  Jerusalem  (St. 
Luke  ii.  42),  and  He  w^ho  conformed  to  all  Jewish 
customs  most  probably  submitted  to  this. 

Scriptural   Authority 

Confirmation  is  frequently  mentioned  in  Scrip- 
ture, under  the  name  of  ''laying  on  of  hands,"  or 
''receiving  the  Holy  Ghost."  Acts  viii.  20  and 
xix.  6  show  that  the  apostles  practised  it.  In  Acts 
xiv.  21,  22,  we  see  the  apostles  doing  what  our 
Bishops  do  now  at  their  visitations.  In  Heb. 
vi.  1,  2,  it  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  "principles 
of  the  doctrine  of  Christ,"  following  Baptism. 
It  seems  to  be  alluded  to  in  I.  Cor.  vi.  11,  "But  ye 
are  washed  (baptized),  but  ye  are  sanctified  (con- 
firmed), but  ye  are  justified  in  the  Name  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  (in  Baptism)  and  by  the  Spirit  of 
God"  (in  Confirmation).  So  in  Titus  iii.  5,  the 
same  order  is  preserved;  first  the  "washing  of 
regeneration"  (Baptism),  then  the  "renewal  of  the 
Holy  Ghost"  (Confirmation). 

The  Minister  of  Confirmation 

The  minister  of  Confirmation  is  the  highest. 
At  Samaria,  it  was  the  "apostles  Peter  and  John," 


CONFIRMATION  213 

at  Ephesus,  St.  Paul.  Jerome  of  the  fourth  cen- 
tury says,  "The  Bishop  goes  forth  and  makes  a 
tour,  in  order  to  lay  his  hands  and  invoke  the  Holy 
Ghost  on  those  in  the  small  towns,  who  have  been 
baptized  by  our  priests  and  deacons."  Before  this 
time,  Tertullian,  of  the  second,  and  Cyprian,  of  the 
third,  century,  mention  practically  the  same. 
Confirmation  is  not  joining  the  Church,  but  pro- 
motion to  higher  privileges.  We  join  the  Church 
in  Baptism.  Afterward,  we  need  the  blessing  of 
God's  highest  ambassador,  the  Bishop,  successor  to 
the  apostles. 

The  Requisites  for  Confirmation 

1.  That  years  of  discretion  should  be  reached; 
that  is,  the  candidate  should  know  right  from 
wrong.  The  Saviour  seems  to  have  set  the  age 
at  twelve  (St.  Luke  ii.  42).  At  first,  Confirmation 
was  administered  in  connection  with  Baptism,  if 
a  Bishop  was  present,  even  to  infants.  It  is  still 
so  in  the  Eastern  Church.  The  West  has  made  it 
a  conscious  act,  hence  requires  the  age  of  infancy 
to  be  passed.  2.  Sufiiciently  instructed  in  what 
a  "Christian  ought  to  know  and  believe  to  his  soul's 
health."  The  minimum  is  the  Creed,  Lord's 
Prayer,  and  Ten  Commandments,  with  the  rest  of 
the  Short  Catechism.  3.  Willingness  to  try  and 
live  a  Christian  life,  and  to  use  the  sacraments  and 
other  means  of  grace  God  has  appointed.    One  does 


214       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

not  wait  till  one  is  good  enough,  but  comes  to  the 
Bishop  to  be  blessed  and  to  be  made  better. 

The  Service 

The  first  part  of  the  Confirmation  service  has 
reference  to  a  renewal  of  the  baptismal  vows.  The 
preface  contains  the  Church's  order  in  regard  to 
this  matter,  showing  that  originally  it  was  not  part 
of  the  rite.  The  scriptural  account  of  the  laying 
on  of  hands  in  Acts  viii.  very  properly  follows. 
The  Bishop  then  asks  the  candidates  if  they  sol- 
emnly renew  their  baptismal  vows  in  the  presence 
of  God  and  the  congregation  (St.  Matt.  x.  32). 
These  are  (a)  to  renounce  the  devil,  (b)  to  believe 
the  faith,  (c)  to  keep  God's  commandments.  As 
soon  as  they  answer,  "I  do,"  the  Bishop  reminds 
them  that  they  cannot  do  these  things  in  their  own 
strength,  but  that  their  ^'help  is  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord."  The  first  Collect  which  immediately  pre- 
cedes the  laying  on  of  hands  was  part  of  the  service 
in  the  days  of  St.  Ambrose  of  Milan,  in  the  fourth 
century.  It  is  found  also  in  the  Confirmation  serv- 
ice of  the  Greek  Church.  It  may  be  apostolic, 
for  it  is  based  on  the  sevenfold  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
(Kev.  V.  6)  mentioned  in  Isa.  xi.  1-3.  The  last 
prayer  is  one  taken  from  the  earlier  part  of  the 
Communion  service,  immediately  after  the  com- 
mandments, and  is  very  appropriately  used  here, 
for  Confirmation  leads  to  the  Holy  Communion, 
the  two  services  thus  having  this  prayer  in  common. 


COXFIRMATIOX  215 

The  Gifts 

The  gifts  of  Confirmation  are  those  named  in 
Isa.  xi.  2,  3,  and  are  quoted  in  the  service.  They 
are: 

1.  Wisdom,  to  aid  us  in  our  search  after  God. 

2.  Understanding,  to  lead  us  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  truth. 

3.  Counsel,  to  help  us  to  discern  the  right 
path. 

4.  Ghostly  (spiritual)  strength,  to  confirm  us 
in  doing  right. 

5.  Knowledge,  to  teach  us  the  will  of  God. 

6.  True  godliness,  to  help  us  to  lead  godly 
lives. 

7.  Holy  fear,  to  aid  us  in  serving  God. 
These  are  sometimes  called  the  sevenfold  gifts 

of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Prov.  ix.  1 ;  Rev.  i.  4). 

The  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  (Gal.  v.  22,  23)  : 
1.  Love.     2.  Joy.    3.  Peace.    4.  Longsuffering. 
5.  Gentleness.     6.  Goodness.     7.  Faith.     8.  Meek- 
ness.   9.  Temperance.    10.  Patience.    11.  Modesty. 
12.  Chastity. 


CHAPTER  XY 

THE    HOLY    EUCHARIST 
Names  of  the  Holy  Communion 

WE  find  it  has  had  many  names,  some  from 
Scripture,  and  some  from  ancient  writers. 

The  Lord's  Supper.  I.  Cor.  xi.  20.  It  is  His 
Snpper,  not  man's.  In  the  Apocalypse  (Rev.  iii. 
20)  our  Lord  refers  to  the  idea  of  supping  with 
His  disciples.  Two  of  His  parables,  the  Great 
Supper,  and  Marriage  of  the  King's  Son,  are  inti- 
mately connected  with  this  sacrament,  and  give 
abundant  teachings  on  the  subject. 

The  Holy  Communion.  I.  Cor.  x.  16.  This 
term  is  primarily  intended  to  express  the  commun- 
ion Ave  have  with  the  Son  of  God,  and  His  glorified 
humanity,  then  with  the  saints  of  all  ages,  for  all 
partake  of  "one  bread"  (I.  Cor.  x.  17). 

The  Blessed  Sacrament.  Pliny,  a  heathen 
writer  (A.  D.  109)  says  Christians  "meet  on  a 
stated  day,"  and  "band  themselves  by  an  oath 
(Sacrament)  with  an  obligation  of  not  committing 
any  wickedness,"  and  to  "partake  of  a  harmless 


THE  HOLY  EUCHARIST  217 

meal."  The  exhortation  in  the  Prayer  Book  says, 
'^Ye  who  .  .  .  intend  to  lead  a  new  life  .  .  . 
draw  near  with  faith  and  take  this  holy  sacra- 
ment." 

The  Eucharist.  This  word  means  ''to  give 
thanks,"  and  has  reference  to  our  Lord's  act  in 
consecrating  the  elements.  ''He  took  bread  and 
gave  thanks"  (St.  Luke  xxiv.  19).  In  the  oblation 
prayer,  after  reciting  the  great  events  in  our  Lord's 
life,  we  say,  "rendering  unto  Thee  most  hearty 
thanks  for  the  innumerable  benefits  procured  unto 
us  by  the  same."  We  call  the  service  our  "sacrifice 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving"  (Heb.  xiii.  15).  St. 
Paul  probably  refers  to  this  service  in  I.  Cor.  xiv. 
16,  where  the  Greek  word  is  eucharistia. 

Breaking  Bread  is  the  name  used  in  Acts  ii.  42 
and  XX.  7,  and  has  reference  to  our  Lord's  manual 
act  (St.  Matt.  xxvi.  26),  and  the  priest  in  the  serv- 
ice imitates  His  example. 

Celebration.  This  has  reference  to  the  memo- 
rial our  Lord  commanded  us  to  make,  which  we 
celebrate  before  the  Father's  divine  majesty,  hence 
in  many  places  daily  celebrations  prevail  regard- 
less of  the  number  of  communicants  present,  in 
order  to  do  this  in  remembrance  of  Him. 

The  Divine  Liturgy.  This  is  the  principal 
name  among  oriental  Christians.  In  the  New 
Testament  Greek,  the  word  occurs  in  Acts  xiii.  2, 
"As  they  were  liturgising  unto  the  Lord."     Also 


218       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

in  Heb.  x.  11,  ''Every  priest  standeth  daily  litur- 
gising  and  offering  oftentimes  the  same  sacrifice." 

The  Holy  Sacrifice  or  Ohlation.  There  was  but 
''one,  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  sacrifice,  obla- 
tion, and  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  the  whole 
world.''  This  service  is  its  continual  representa- 
tion of  that  sacrifice  to  God.  The  Jewish  sacri- 
fices were  bloody,  looking  forward  to  Christ  to 
come.  This  is  unbloody,  and  looks  back  as  a 
memorial  of  His  having  come. 

The  Mass.  A  prejudice  exists  among  some 
with  regard  to  this  name.  The  Lutherans  in  cer- 
tain parts  of  Europe  retain  it.  We  have  the  word 
compounded  in  Christmas.  It  was  recognized  in 
the  first  English  Prayer  Book  of  1549.  The  word 
is  as  old  as  the  time  of  Ambrose  of  the  fourth 
century.  Its  derivation  is  doubtful.  Some  say  it 
comes  from  the  phrase  ''Ite,  missa  est''  (Go,  this 
is  the  dismissal),  words  which  occur  at  the  close 
of  the  Latin  Mass.  Others  say  it  is  derived  from 
the  Hebrew  "Massah,"  a  sacrificial  offering,  ref- 
erence being  to  the  pure  offering  of  Mai.  i.  11. 
Others  derive  it  from  the  Gothic  "Messe,''  a 
banquet. 

The  Command 

The  command  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  Supper  is 
very  explicit.  "Do  this  in  remembrance  of  Me." 
The  apostles  constantly  practised  it  (Acts  ii.  42, 
47;  XX.  7;  I.  Cor.  xi.  23),  from  which  we  learn  it 


THE  HOLY  EUCHARIST  219 

was  celebrated  daily  and  weekly.  Hence  in  the 
Prayer  Book,  special  Eucharistic  lessons  (Collects, 
Epistles,  and  Gospels)  are  appointed  for  every 
Sunday,  and  to  be  used  every  day  in  the  week 
following. 

Types 

Types  of  the  Holy  Communion  are  seen  in 
various  parts  of  the  Old  Testament. 

The  Tree  of  Life 

The  Tree  of  Life  stood  in  Eden  (Gen.  iii.  22), 
and  its  antitype  was  seen  by  St.  John  in  heaven 
(Rev.  XX.  2).  Those  who  eat  of  it  would  live  for 
ever,  and  its  leaves  were  for  the  healing  of  the 
nations.  So  those  who  eat  the  bread  which  Christ 
gives  "shall  live  forever"  (St.  John  vi.  51). 

Melchisedec 

Melchisedec  brought  forth  bread  and  wine  to 
Abraham,  father  of  the  faithful  (Gen.  xiv.  18-20). 
Christ  is  a  Priest  forever  after  the  order  of  Mel- 
chisedec (Heb.  vii.).  We  are  children  of  Abra- 
ham by  faith  (Gal.  iii.  7),  and  are  fed  with  even 
better  things  than  bread  and  wine  by  the  ambassa- 
dors of  Christ. 

The  Passover 

The  Passover  and  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread 
were  kept  at  the  time  our  Lord  instituted  His  Sup- 


220       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

per.  The  children  of  Israel  were  preserved  from 
the  destroying  angel  by  having  the  doorposts  of 
their  houses  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 
Of  this  lamb  they  partook  at  a  religious  feast,  and 
were  then  delivered  from  the  Egyptian  bondage. 
So  we  must  have  our  hearts  sprinkled  with  the 
blood  of  Jesus  (Heb.  x.  22;  I.  Pet.  i.  2).  ''Christ 
our  Passover  is  sacrificed  for  us"  (I.  Cor.  v.  7,  8), 
and  on  Him  we  feed  (I.  Cor.  x.  16). 

The  Shew  Bread 

The  shew  bread,  that  is,  bread  of  the  Presence, 
typified  God's  perpetual  presence  with  His  people. 
So  the  Sacrament  fulfi-ls  the  promise,  "Lo!  I  am 
with  you  always,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world" 
(St.  Matt,  xxviii.  20).  Our  Lord  used  a  word 
{anamnesis)  to  command  His  memorial,  which  is 
used  of  the  shew  bread  (Lev.  xxiv.  7). 

Manna 

Manna  fed  the  children  of  Israel  while  journey- 
ing through  the  wilderness  towards  Canaan.  So 
the  Holy  Communion  feeds  us  in  our  journey 
through  this  world  tow^ards  the  heavenly  Canaan. 
It  is  called  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven 
(Ps.  Ixxiv.  24;  St.  John  vi.  31,  33,  51). 

Our  Lord's  foreshadowings  of  His  feast  are 
seen  in  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand,  and  His 


THE  HOLY  EUCHARIST  221 

discourse  upon  it;  the  parable  of  the  Marriage  of 
the  Kings  Son;  and  the  blood  which  flowed  from 
His  pierced  side. 

What  is  the  Communion? 

It  is  a  memorial  of  Christ's  Sacrifice.  It 
shows  forth  the  Lord's  death  (I.  Cor.  xi.  26)  to 
t-iie  Father,  to  plead  our  redemption ;  it  shows  that 
death  to  men,  inviting  them  to  be  partakers  (St. 
John  xii.  32).  It  is  the  Communion  of  His  Body 
and  Blood  to  feed  our  souls  (I.  Cor.  x.  16).  As 
it  takes  the  place  of  the  old  meat  and  drink  offer- 
ings, it  connects  the  Christian  with  the  Jewish 
Church,  and  in  spirit  with  the  golden  altar  in 
heaven.  It  is  the  food  for  the  soul.  The  ancient 
fathers  of  the  Church  were  not  afraid  to  call  this 
Supper,  some  of  them  ''the  salve  of  immortality 
and  sovereign  preservative  against  death,"  other 
''a  deifical  communion,"  other,  ''the  sweet  dainties 
of  our  Saviour,  the  pledge  of  eternal  health,  the 
defence  of  faith,  and  hope  of  the  resurrection," 
other,  "the  food  of  immortality,  the  healthful  grace 
and  the  conservatory  to  everlasting  life"  (Church 
Homilies). 

Christ's  Sacramental  Presence 

We  are  taught  in  Scriptures  and  by  early  writ- 
ers that  in  the  Eucharist  both  Bread  and  Wine 
and  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  are  present. 
IN'either  is  absent.    The  Sacrament  is  a  type  of  the 


222       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Incarnation,  by  which  Christ  is  both  God  and 
Man.  Some  early  heretics  denied  that  Christ  had 
a  real  body,  others  denied  that  He  was  divine.  He 
was  both  human  and  divine.  The  presence  of 
Christ  in  the  Sacrament  is  not  less  real,  because 
spiritual,  any  more  than  angels  are  less  real  be- 
cause spiritual  beings.  The  Sacrament,  according 
to  the  natural  order,  is  bread  and  wine ;  according 
to  the  supernatural,  it  is  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ.  This  is  a  mystery,  and  cannot  be  defined 
or  explained.  It  is  in  honor  of  Christ's  Presence 
that  the  altar  is  so  richly  garnished,  decorated  with 
flowers,  and  in  many  places  adorned  with  lights. 

Early  Writers 

So  important  a  subject  should  be  elucidated  by 
some  Christians  who  lived  near  the  days  of  the 
Apostles,  or  were  taught  by  them.  We  will  see  that 
they  considered  the  elements  after  consecration  as 
more  than  bread  and  wine ;  yet  as  bread  and  wine, 
though  not  common  bread  and  wine. 

Ignatius  (A.  D.  107)  :  ''They  abstain  from  the 
Eucharist  and  prayer,  because  they  admit  not  the 
Eucharist  to  be  the  Flesh  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ." 

Justin  Martyr  (A.  D.  140)  :  'This  food  we  call 
the  Eucharist  which  no  one  is  allowed  to  partake 
of  but  he  that  believes.  .  .  .  For  we  take  not  these 
as  common  bread  and  common  drink,  but  like  as 
Christ   Jesus   our    Saviour,   being   the   Incarnate 


THE  HOLY  EUCHARIST  223 

Word  of  God,  bore  about  Him  both  flesh  and  blood 
for  our  salvation ;  so  we  are  taught  that  this  food 
which  is  blessed  by  the  prayer  of  the  ^Yord  that 
came  down  from  God,  and  which  is  changed  into 
the  nourishment  of  our  flesh  and  blood,  is  the 
Flesh  and  Blood  of  the  Incarnate  Jesus." 

Cyril  of  Jerusalem  (A.  D.  348)  :  "Keceive  we 
the  Eucharist  with  all  fulness  of  faith  as  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ ;  for  under  the  type  of  bread 
you  have  His  Body  given  you,  and  under  the  type 
of  wine  you  have  His  Blood,  that  is,  partaking  of 
the  Body  and  the  Blood  of  Christ,  you  may  be- 
come flesh  of  His  Flesh,  and  blood  of  His  Blood. 
For  by  this  means  we  carry  Christ  about  us,  inas- 
much as  His  Body  and  His  Blood  is  distributed 
into  our  members ;  thus  do  we  become  according  to 
St.  Peter  partakers  of  the  divine  nature." 

Queen  Elizabeth  is  said  to  have  expressed  the 
truth  in  these  verses : 

"Christ  was  the  Word  that  spake  it, 
He  took  the  bread  and  brake  it, 
And  what  that  Word  did  make  it, 
That  I  believe  and  take  it." 

The  Eucharistic  Sacrifice 
The  Eucharist  is  a  feast  upon  a  sacrifice.  The 
bread  and  wine  are  consecrated  to  be  the  Body  and 
Blood  of  Christ.  Before  they  are  partaken  of  by 
the  communicant,  they  are  offered  to  the  eternal 
Father  as  a  memorial  of  His  Son's  Passion.  This 
is  what  Christ  is  doing  in  heaven  (Eev.  v.  6)  in 
His  office  of  the  eternal  Priesthood  (Heb.  vii.  24, 


224       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

25;  viii.  1,  2,  3).  In  this  service  the  act  of  the 
whole  Church  is  performed  in  unison  with  Christ's 
act  in  heaven.  We  pray  God  not  to  look  on  our 
sins,  but  on  the  death  of  His  dear  Son,  now  pre- 
sented to  Him.  In  the  Eucharist,  bj  virtue  of  His 
real  Presence  on  the  altar,  Christ  is  the  Priest  and 
Victim.  He  presents  Himself  bv  the  act  of  His 
ambassador,  who  is  also  the  leader  of  the  people, 
and  thus  they,  too,  join  in  the  act  (see  page  155). 

The  Eucharistic  Feast 

The  soul  must  have  its  food.  The  soul  is  spir- 
itual, and  needs  spiritual  food.  Hence  it  is  fed  on 
the  spiritual  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  in  the 
Eucharist.  These  strengthen  our  soul  as  bread 
and  wine  strengthen  our  body.  Hence  a  denial  of 
the  cup  to  the  lay  people  is  a  harshness  not  counten- 
anced by  Him  who  said,  ^'Drink  ye  all  of  it"  (St. 
Matt.  xxvi.  27).  The  argument  in  I.  Cor.  x.  21 
would  be  lost  if  it  did  not  refer  to  the  lay  people. 
But  I.  Cor.  xi.  27,  29,  clinches  the  apostle's  ex- 
pectation that  all  shall  be  partakers  of  the  cup. 
The  denial  grew  up  in  the  Church  of  Kome  out  of 
reverence,  lest  any  of  the  Blood  should  be  spilt, 
although  one  of  the  Popes  (Gelasius)  had  ordered 
that  the  Sacrament  should  not  be  divided.  In  the 
twelfth  centurv  it  became  the  custom  in  the  West. 


THE  HOLY  EUCHARIST  225 

In  the  East  the  bread  is  dipped  in  the  wine,  and  in 
this  manner  both  are  received. 

Neglect  of  the  Communion 

J^eglect  of  the  Communion  is  a  neglect  of  an 
important  means  of  spiritual  growth,  of  an  oppor- 
tunity to  declare  our  faith  and  repentance,  of  con- 
fessing Christ  before  men,  of  thanking  Him  ^^for 
all  the  blessings  of  this  life,  for  the  means  of  grace 
and  for  the  hope  of  glory,"  a  neglect  of  an  oppor- 
tunity to  renew  one's  personal  consecration  to  God. 

Preparation  for  the  Communion 

St.  Paul  says,  ''Let  a  man  examine  himself, 
and  so  let  him  eat  of  that  bread  and  drink  of  that 
cup"  (I.  Cor.  xi.  26).  If  a  man  cannot  satisfy 
himself  by  self-examination,  he  should  seek  counsel 
from  his  parish  priest,  or  some  other  minister  of 
God's  Word.  It  is  an  ancient  custom  to  receive 
the  Commimion  fasting,  making  it  the  first  food  of 
the  day. 

The  Invitation  to  Communicate 

Many  persons  consider  themselves  unworthy  to 
receive.  They  need  not  fear  Him  who  ate  with 
publicans  and  sinners.  We  ''come  not  in  our  own 
righteousness,  but  in  the  Lord's  manifold  and  great 
as  the  hymn  says. 


226      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

"Just  as  I  am,  without  one  plea." 

Christ  furnishes  the  wedding  garment.  Who  re- 
gards himself  as  unworthy  to  partake  of  the  ban- 
quet on  earth,  and  wears  not,  by  faith,  the  robe  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  must  regard  himself  as  un- 
worthy of  heaven.  He  expects  to  reach  heaven  by 
faith  in  Christ,  yet  has  not  faith  to  believe  the 
promises  of  God  made  in  this  sacrament,  unless  he 
partakes. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

ABSOLUTION 
Sin 

SIX  separates  from  God.  St.  John  says,  ''Sin  is 
the  transgression  of  the  law"  (I.  John  iii.  4). 
It  is  of  two  kinds,  original  and  actual ;  that  which 
we  inherit  as  a  child  of  Adam  after  his  fall ;  and 
that  which  we  onrselves  commit.  Some  divide 
actual  sins  into  two  kinds — venial  and  deadly — 
basing  this  division  upon  I.  John  v.  16.  The 
one  is  like  a  cooling  of  friendship,  the  other  as  a 
breaking  of  friendship  between  God  and  man. 
The  one  arises  largely  from  our  infirmity,  the 
other  from  wilfulness.  But  all  sin,  of  whatever 
character,  darkens  the  mind,  pollutes  the  soul, 
weakens  the  will,  separates  from  God,  and,  if  per- 
severed in,  ends  in  death  (St.  James  i.  15).  Bap- 
tism remits  all  sins  previously  committed.  The 
remission  of  sins  after  Baptism  is  sealed  to  us  by 
Absolution. 

Repentance 

When  a  sinner  is  convicted  of  sin  and  turns  to 
God,  there  are  three  steps  necessary  to  bring  about 
amendment,  viz.,  (1)  Contrition,  (2)  Confession, 


228       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

(3)   Amendment.     Without    these    repentance    is 
falsely  so  called. 

Contrition 

Contrition  is  sorrow  for  sin.  There  are  two 
kinds;  that  which  comes  only  from  remorse  and 
fear  of  punishment,  and  the  godly  kind  which 
worketh  repentance  to  salvation  (II.  Cor.  vii. 
10).  The  latter  is  hatred  of  sin,  and  springs  from 
love  to  God. 

Confession 

Confession  is  a  truthful  acknowledgment  of  sin, 
without  looking  for  excuses,  or  for  anyone  else 
upon  whom  to  lay  the  blame.  ^^If  we  confess  our 
sins,  God  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our 
sins"  (I.  John  i.  3).  Confession  to  God  is 
obligatory;  to  a  priest,  as  God's  ambassador,  vol- 
untary. The  latter  is  recommended  for  great  crises 
because  it  is  more  searching.  Our  own  judgment 
is  not  always  to  be  relied  on.  One  who  has  made 
a  study  of  sin  and  its  remedies  can  see  our  relation 
to  God  better  than  we  can  ourselves.  When  the 
body  is  diseased  we  consult  a  physician.  In  busi- 
ness affairs  we  consult  a  lawyer.  In  spiritual  mat- 
ters we  should  consult  the  priest.  In  each  case  we 
reveal  all  secrets,  and  submit  to  a  diagnosis. 

Amendment 

Amendment  is  a  resolution,  carried  out,  to 
avoid  sin,  and  to  use  all  the  means  of  grace  God  has 


ABSOLUTION  229 

given  to  help  us.     Kestitution  or  apology  must  be 
made  where  possible. 

Auricular  Confession 

xit  first,  confession  of  notorious  sins  was  pub- 
lic, and  signs  were  given  of  amendment  of  life. 
Thus  in  Ephesus  ''many  that  believed  came  and 
confessed  and  shewed  their  deeds.     Many  of  them 
also  which  used  curious  arts  brought  their  books 
together  and  burned  them  before  all  men"   (Acts 
xix.  18,  19).     Origen  (A.  D.  230)  counsels  peni- 
tents to  seek  out  a  wise  spiritual  adviser,  to  whom 
they  should  confide  their  more  secret  offenses,  that 
if  he  judged  it  expedient  such  offenses  might  after- 
wards be  confessed  in  the  face  of  the  congregation. 
In  process  of  time  the  Bishops  appointed  a  Peni- 
tentiary to  fulfil  this  office.     Scandals  arising  from 
some  of  the  confessions,   gradually  they  became 
entirely  private,  but  still  voluntary.     St.  Augus- 
tine (A.  D.  398)  says,  ^'What  have  I  to  do  with 
men,  that  they  should  hear  my  confession  ?"     St. 
Chrysostom  (A.  J).  398),  "1  do  not  compel  you  to 
discover  your  sins  in  the  presence  of  men."     The 
enforcement  of  confession  grew,  until  in  1215,  at 
the  Fourth  Lateran   Council,   the  act  was  made 
compulsory.     At  the  Reformation  the  Church  of 
England  returned  to  the  primitive  idea  of  its  being 
voluntary.     She  expresses  her  mind  in  the  Prayer 
Book,  where  she  invites  persons  to  prepare  them- 
selves for  the   Communion.       ''If  anv      . 


230      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

requireth  further  comfort  or  counsel,  let  him  come 
to  me,  or  to  some  other  discreet  and  learned  minis- 
ter of  God's  Word,  and  open  his  grief."  While 
thus  making  it  voluntary,  it  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  the  mind  of  the  early  Church  that  confession 
should  not  be  used.  Its  neglect  is  a  neglect  of  one 
of  the  means  of  grace. 

Sacramental  Absolution 

Sacramental  Absolution  has  for  its  outward 
sign  the  word  spoken  by  Christ's  ambassador,  that 
God  has  received  the  penitent  to  favor.  Leprosy 
was  a  type  of  sin.  It  was  loathsome,  supposed  to 
be  contagious,  and  excommunicated  the  man  from 
the  congregation.  When  the  leper  was  healed,  the 
w^ord  of  the  priest  was  necessary  to  certify  to  the 
congregation  that  such  was  the  fact  (Lev.  xiv.  2,  3, 
11;  St.  Matt.  viii.  4).  Our  Lord's  miracles  were 
often  types  of  the  sacraments.  The  blind  man 
washing  at  Siloam  typified  Baptism.  Placing  His 
hands  on  children  and  blessing  them  typified  Con- 
firmation. Breaking  and  blessing  bread  for  the 
five  thousand  typified  the  Holy  Communion.  So, 
speaking  to  the  leper,  ''Be  thou  clean,"  typified 
absolution.  It  is  comforting  to  the  soul,  and  a 
means  of  grace,  to  know  that  we  are  again  recon- 
ciled to  God  (IL  Cor.  v.  18-20).  Pardon  is  sealed 
to  us  by  Christ's  ambassador  in  the  spoken  word, 
as  Baptism  seals  to  us  the  remission  of  previous 
sins. 


ABSOLUTION  231 

Absolution  in  Scripture 

The  power  of  absolution  is  based  upon  several 
passages  of  Scripture,  of  which  these  are  some : 
"Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound 
in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  ve  shall  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven''  (St.  Matt,  xviii.  18). 
''As  my  Father  hath  sent  Me,  even  so  send  I  you. 
And  when  He  had  said  this,  He  breathed  on  them, 
and  saith  unto  them,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
whosesoever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto 
them,  and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  re- 
tained'' (St.  John  XX.  21-23).  Our  Lord  was  sent 
to  exercise  this  power,  and  in  the  same  manner  He 
sent  His  apostles.  He  exercised  it  as  the  ''Son  of 
Man"  (St.  Matt.  ix.  6).  St.  Paul,  in  speaking  of 
the  powers  of  the  ministry,  says,  "We  have  this 
power  in  earthen  vessels."  It  is  not  a  personal 
power,  but  inherent  in  the  office. 

Absolution   in  the  Prayer  Book 

In  Morning  and  Evening  Prayer,  after  the 
Confession  of  the  congregation,  "The  priest  alone 
standing,  the  people  still  kneeling,"  says,  "Al- 
mighty God  .  .  .  hath  given  power  and  command- 
ment to  His  ministers  to  declare  and  pronounce  to 
His  people,  being  penitent,  the  Absolution  and 
Remission  of  their  sins."  In  the  Communion  serv- 
ice, after  a  General  Confession,  the  priest  is  di- 
rected to  stand  up,  and,  turning  to  the  people,  to 


232       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

say,  ' 'Almighty  God,  .  .  .  have  mercy  upon  you ; 
pardon  and  deliver  you  from  all  your  sins."  At 
ordination,  the  Bishop  says  to  the  candidate,  ''Re- 
ceive the  Holy  Ghost  for  the  office  and  work  of  a 
priest  in  the  Church  of  God,  now  committed  unto 
thee,  by  the  imposition  of  our  hands.  Whose  sins 
thou  dost  forgive,  they  are  forgiven,  and  whose  sins 
thou  dost  retain,  they  are  retained."  The  Church 
of  England  has  a  form  more  explicit  than  our 
American  Prayer  Book.  It  is  addressed  to  the  sick 
after  confession,  "Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  w^ho  hath 
left  power  to  His  Church  to  absolve  all  sinners 
who  truly  repent  and  believe  in  Him,  of  His  great 
mercy  forgive  thee  thine  offences,  and  by  His 
authority  committed  unto  me,  I  absolve  thee  from 
all  thy  sins,  in  the  ^N'ame  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen." 

Objections  Answered 

St.  Ambrose  (A.  D.  374)  answered  the  objec- 
tions brought  against  the  ministerial  power.  His 
words  are  suitable  to-day.  "Why  do  you  baptize 
if  it  is  not  lawful  for  men  to  forgive  sins  ?  In 
Baptism  there  is  certainly  forgiveness  of  all  sins. 
What  difference  is  there  between  exercising  the  rite 
in  penitence  or  in  Baptism  ?  The  mystery  is  the 
same  in  both  cases."  Dr.  Pusey  said,  "If  a  physi- 
cian goes  about  to  minister  to  the  sick,  bind  up  the 
broken,  apply  to  the  cure  of  diseases  the  medi- 
cines which  God  has  given  him  the  knowledge  and 


ABSOLUTION  233 

the  skill  to  use,  no  one  speaks  of  ^assumption  of 
power,'  no  one  thinks  it  a  part  of  'independence'  to 
die  neglected.  Why  then  speak  of  'priestly  power,' 
when  people  ask  the  ministers  of  God  to  impart 
that  mth  which  God  has  entrusted  them?  The 
descendants  of  'Noah,  rejoiced  when  they  saw  the 
bow  in  the  heavens,  and  knew  that  God's  wrath 
was  turned  away.  David's  heart  beat  with  joy 
when  he  heard  Xathan,  the  prophet,  say,  ''The 
Lord  also  hath  put  away  thy  sin;  thou  shalt  not 
die."  The  woman  that  was  a  sinner  was  glad 
when  the  Saviour  said,  ^'Thy  sins  are  forgiven." 
The  believing  penitent  is  comforted  when  Christ's 
ambassador  says,  "Almighty  God  .  .  .  pardon  and 
deliver  you  from  all  your  sins." 

Church  Discipline 

Absolution  was  not  always  pronounced  on  sin- 
ners. Offenders  were  often  put  under  discipline 
extending  through  years  of  penance.  Absolution 
is  the  power  of  loosing.  The  Church  also  possesses 
the  power  of  binding  and  retaining  sins.  It  was 
exercised  under  the  law.  Offenders  were  cut  off 
from  the  congregation  (Lev.  xvii.  4),  and  put  out 
of  the  synagogue  (St.  John  ix.  22).  St.  Paul 
exercised  the  power  on  the  Corinthian  offender 
(I.  Cor.  V.  5).  Ecclesiastical  history  is  full  of  this 
power.     The  most  noted  case,  in  the  early  Church, 


234       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

was  tliat  of  St.  Ambrose  repelling  the  Emperor, 
Theodosius,  from  the  Church,  and  for  eight  months 
compelling  him  to  live  in  penitential  seclusion, 
without  wearing  the  insignia  of  his  office.  At 
length,  as  a  suppliant,  he  sought  re-admission,  and 
was  received  back  to  the  communion.  His  crime 
had  been  that  of  ordering  an  indiscriminate 
massacre  of  some  ten  thousand  people,  in  punish- 
ment of  what  only  a  few  had  done.  He  showed  the 
greatest  sorrow,  and  gave  proof  of  it  by  issuing  an 
edict  forbidding  the  execution  of  a  capital  punish- 
ment until  thirty  days  after  sentence.  In  those 
early  days,  the  discipline  of  the  Church  was  re- 
duced to  a  system.  Each  offence  had  its  own  term 
of  penance,  some  extended  through  several  years. 
The  offender  passed  through  different  stations,  be- 
fore being  fully  re-admitted  to  the  communion. 

1.  A  Mourner  would  lie  at  the  door,  begging 
the  prayers  of  the  faithful. 

2.  A  Hearer  was  permitted  to  enter  and  hear 
the  scriptures  and  the  sermon. 

3.  A  Kneeler  could  join  in  certain  prayers. 

4.  A  Co-Stander  could  stand  with  the  faithful 
at  the  altar,  but  was  not  yet  a  partaker.  Thursday 
in  Holy  Week  was  the  usual  time  to  receive  peni- 
tents back  into  the  Church.  The  English  Prayer 
Book,  in  its  Commination  service  for  Ash  Wednes- 
day, calls  this  a  "godly  discipline"  and  looks  to  its 
being  ''restored  again." 


ABSOLUTION  235 

Abuses 

In  the  time  of  persecutions  it  was  not  imcom- 
mon  for  Bishops,  at  the  intercession  of  martyrs,  or 
confessors  in  prison,  to  relax  penances  which  had 
been  imposed.     In  the  course  of  time  it  was  sup- 
posed that  the  treasury  of  the  saints  was  so  great 
that  they  had  done  enough  to  secure  their  own  for- 
giveness, and  had  a  supply  of  merit  left  over,  which 
was  in  the  hands  of  the  Church  to  distribute  for  the 
benefit  of  others.     It  was  forgotten  that  our  Lord 
had  said,  ''When  ye  shall  have  done  all  those  things 
which  are  commanded  you,  say  we  are  unprofitable 
servants"   (St.  Luke  xvii.  10;  see  also  St.  Matt. 
XXV.  9).     The  Church  of  Rome,  claiming  to  have 
this  treasury,  put  it  up  for  sale.    It  was  such  a  sale, 
by  a  monk  named  Tetzel,  which  excited  the  ire  of 
Luther  (1517)  and  led  to  the  Reformation  in  Ger- 
many.     Indulgences    still    exist    in    the    Roman 
Church,  and  can  be  obtained  by  visiting  certain 
shrines,  or  saying  certain  prayers.     They  are  said 
to  deliver  from  temporal  punishment  to  be  paid  in 
purgatory  for  sins  committed  in  this  world.     An- 
other abuse  has   grown  up  of  imposing  penance 
which  gives  a  false  conception  of  sin.     The  peni- 
tent must  repeat  so  many  times  a  day,  for  a  certain 
period  of  time,  certain  prayers,  as  though  the  sin- 
ner could  earn  his  forgiveness  by  works.   '"By  grace 
ye  are  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves ;  it  is  a  gift  of  God ;  not  of  works,  lest  any 
man  should  boast"  (Eph.  ii.  9). 


CIIxiPTEK  XYII 

MATRIMONY 

MAERIAGE  is  the  union  of  one  man  and  one 
woman,  living  together  as  man  and  wife. 
The  good  of  society  so  much  depends  upon  the 
relation,  that  it  has  been  regulated  by  law.  Chris- 
tian people  desire  to  be  ^^married  in  the  Lord"  (I. 
Cor.  V.  11,  39).  The  Church  has  her  law  regard- 
ing it,  based  upon  the  law  of  Christ.  But  as  the 
standard  of  morals  in  the  state  is  on  a  much  lower 
plane  than  the  perfect  law  of  Christ,  more  or  less 
laxity  prevails,  where  only  civil  law  is  followed. 
Christian  people  cannot  avail  themselves  of  all  the 
loose  privileges  permitted  by  the  State.  These 
privileges  pertain  principally  to  the  impediments 
of  marriage  and  to  divorce. 

Impediments  to  Marriage 

Canon  law  of  the  Church  very  early  regulated 
marriage,  and  laws  in  Christian  countries  have 
been  affected  to  a  greater  or  less  degree.  Without 
examining  all  the  impediments,  a  glance  will  be 
taken  at  a  few. 


MATRIMONY  237 

Violence 

Consent  of  both  parties  is  an  essential  of  every 
contract.  Lubbock,  in  bis  Primitive  Man,  speaks 
of  wives  being  invariably  captured  among  savage 
tribes.  With  many,  the  custom  of  barter  prevails, 
and  the  father  compels  the  daughter  to  acquiesce. 
Christian  people  do  not  coerce.  Force  must  not 
be  used  either  by  the  groom  or  by  the  bride's 
parents. 

Age 

Usually  the  civil  law  regulates  this.  The 
parties  must  be  old  enough  to  give  consent.  The 
old  Eoman  law  fixed  twelve  for  the  woman  and 
fourteen  for  the  man.  The  age  is  higher  in  most 
of  our  states.  In  the  case  of  minors,  the  consent 
of  the  parents  must  also  be  obtained. 

Clandestine 

The  Church  does  nothing  surreptitiously.  She 
therefore  demands  witnesses  to  the  solemnization 
of  every  marriage.  Where  so  important  a  step  is 
to  be  taken,  secrecy  generally  implies  that  some- 
thing is  wrong,  and  the  Church  cannot  be  a  party 
to  it.  Society  for  its  own  protection  has  a  right  to 
demand  a  certain  amount  of  publicity.  Hence  the 
Church  has  appointed  banns  to  be  read,  and  the 
states  generally  require  a  license. 


238       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 
Previous  Marriage 

Polygamy  is  prohibited  by  the  Christian  relig- 
ion. It  prevails  among  the  Mormons,  Mahomet- 
ans, and  the  uncivilized.  Though  it  prevailed 
under  the  Old  Dispensation,  it  is  forbidden  under 
the  ]N'ew.(Kom.  vii.  3),  and  was  not  according  to 
the  original  institution  (Gen.  ii.  24).  The  ques- 
tion of  re-marriage  after  divorce  is  considered  be- 
low. Re-marriage  after  death  of  either  party  is  al- 
lowable (Rom.  vii.  2;  I.  Cor.  vii.  39).  But  the 
spirit  of  asceticism  which  prevailed  in  the  early 
Church,  and  which  eventually  brought  about  the 
enforced  celibacy  of  the  clergy,  frowned  on  second 
marriages.  It  was  said  first  marriages  were  golden, 
second,  permissible.  In  the  Eastern  Church,  at 
this  day,  a  person  re-marrying  five  times  is  excom- 
municated. This  is  possibly  based  on  St.  John  iv. 
17,  18. 

A  Religious  Vow 

A  religious  vow  of  celibacy  taken  by  some 
priests  and  members  of  sisterhoods  is  usually  re- 
garded as  an  impediment  to  marriage.  Such  vows 
are  taken  by  a  solemn  oath,  and  the  Church  cannot 
be  a  party  to  perjury,  but  as  they  are  ecclesiastical 
in  their  application  Bishops  have  exercised  the 
power  of  dispensation.  The  temptation  to  break 
them  could  be  obviated  bv  the  vouns:  takina;  them 
only  for  a  limited  period,  renewable  at  will,  and 
only  when  well  settled  in  years  could  one  take 


MATRIMONY  239 

them  for  life.  St.  Paul  says,  ''Lei  not  a  widow 
be  taken  into  the  number  under  three  score  years 
old"  (I.  Tim.  V.  9). 

Prohibited  Degrees 

Incest  has  always  been  an  abominable  crime 
among  enlightened  people.  There  have  been  ex- 
ceptions tolerated,  as  when  Abraham  married  his 
half-sister,  and  Cleopatra  of  Egypt  her  younger 
brother.  The  Church  bases  her  prohibition  on  Lev. 
xviii.  As  husband  and  wife  are  one  in  the  sight 
of  God,  the  blood  relation  of  one  is  regarded  as  the 
relation  of  the  other.  Hence  a  man  cannot  marry 
his  wife's  sister,  mother,  niece,  or  aunt.  The 
Churches  of  Kome  and  of  the  East  have  extended 
this  prohibition  to  cousins  germane.  They  have 
also  included  relationship  by  Baptism;  that  is, 
Godparents  and  their  close  relations.  But  such 
regulations  seem  to  be  teaching  for  doctrines  the 
commandments  of  men. 

Divorce 

Our  Lord  says  that  Moses  permitted  divorces 
because  of  the  hardness  of  men's  hearts,  that  origin- 
ally it  was  not  so  (Gen.  ii.  24).  He  re-established 
the  primitive  order.  Death  alone  could  dissolve 
the  bond  (St.  Mark  xii.  25;  St.  Luke  xvi.  IS). 
St.  Paul  reiterated  the  statement  (Kom.  vii.  2,  3 ; 
L  Cor.  vii.  39).  Such  is  the  law  of  the  Church.  It 
has  been  a  question  whether,  in  cases  of  adultery. 


240       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  innocent  party  might  not  re-marry.  In  one 
place  our  Lord  seems  to  approve.  It  is  allowed  by 
the  Greek  Church,  forbidden  by  the  Church  of 
England,  permitted  at  present  by  the  American 
Church  under  very  severe  restrictions,  though 
many  of  her  clergy  deem  it  undesirable,  and  the 
permission  is  likely  to  be  recalled.  In  extreme 
cases,  separations  are  permitted.  Even  here,  both 
should  remember  that  they  took  each  other  ^'for 
better  or  for  worse.'' 

Clerical  Celibacy 

Very  soon  after  the  days  of  the  apostles,  asceti- 
cism beyond  the  bounds  known  in  Scripture  in- 
vaded the  Church.  Among  other  things  it  culmi- 
nated in  enforced  clerical  celibacy.  It  was  not  so 
at  first.  St.  Peter  was  married,  St.  Paul  claimed 
the  privilege  of  leading  about  a  wife.  He  wrote 
Timothy  that  a  Bishop  (he  uses  the  word  to  denote 
the  second  order  of  the  ministry)  should  be  the 
husband  of  one  wife.  The  Greek  Church  inter- 
prets this  to  mean  that  all  parochial  clergy  must  be 
married,  and  married  only  once.  When  the  wife 
dies,  the  priest  retires  from  his  cure.  The  apostle 
was  evidently  protesting  against  the  licentiousness 
of  the  age.  Men  who  divorced  wives  at  will  were 
unfit  for  the  ministry.  He  who  was  true  to  his 
wife  while  living  could  be  selected.  Soon  after 
the  days  of  the  apostles,  a  belief  prevailed,  that  the 
ministry  ought  to  live  single  lives,  and  some  in- 


MATRIMONY  241 

sisted  that  if  married  before  ordination  they  should 
put  their  wives  away.  Early  canons  opposed  this, 
and  threatened  deposition  to  any  who  separated 
from  his  wife.  But  the  feeling  grew.  At  length 
it  was  enacted  that  if  the  clergy  married  it  must 
be  done  before  ordination.  Gradually  the  disci- 
pline grew  more  rigid,  and  then  in  the  West  cler- 
ical celibacy  was  made  obligatory,  history  tells  us 
with  what  bad  effect  upon  morals.  Open  concu- 
binage of  the  priests  was  preferred  by  a  corrupt 
Church  to  lawful  wedlock.  South  American 
priests  and  their  licentiousness  are  warnings.  As 
long  as  God's  Word  says,  "marriage  is  honorable 
in  all"  (Heb.  xii.  4),  "it  is  lawful  for  ministers,  as 
for  other  Christian  men,  to  marry  at  their  discre- 
tion as  they  shall  judge  the  same  to  serve  better  to 

godliness." 

Marriage  Sacramental 

St.  Paul  calls  marriage  a  gi-eat  mystery,  be- 
cause it  is  typical  of  the  union  between  Christ  and 
His  Church  (Eph.  v.  22,  23).  He  uses  the  same 
language  of  this  union  that  is  used  of  Adam  and 
Eve  (verse  30,  and  Gen.  ii.  23).  All  through  the 
Old  Testament,  forsaking  God  and  worshipping 
other  gods  is  called  adultery,  so  that  the  sacra- 
mental idea  finds  expression  under  the  law.  The 
sacramental  grace  consists  in  its  being  "a  remedy 
against  sin  and  to  avoid  fornication.  It  was  or- 
dained for  the  mutual  society,  help,  and  comfort, 


242       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

that  the  one  ought  to  have  of  the  other."  The  giv- 
ing and  receiving  of  a  ring  and  the  joining  of 
hands  is  the  outward  sign;  the  union  between 
Christ  and  His  Church,  the  thing  signified,  and 
strength  to  live  in  mutual,  undefiled  love,  the  grace 
imparted.  Tertullian  (second  century)  says, 
"How  can  we  find  words  to  describe  the  happiness 
of  that  marriage  Avhich  the  Church  brings  about, 
and  the  oblation  confirms,  and  the  benediction 
seals,   and  the   angels   announce,   and  the   Father 

ratifies  ?" 

The  Marriage  Service 

The  marriage  service  as  now  contained  in  the 
Prayer  Book  was  originally  and  anciently  in  two 
parts — the  espousal,  said  at  a  previous  time,  and 
then  the  marriage.  The  separation  of  the  two  is 
evidently  alluded  to  in  Scripture  (Jer.  ii.  2;  II. 
Cor.  xi.  2).  St.  Joseph  was  only  espoused  to  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  when  he  thought  of  putting  her 
aw^ay  (St.  Matt.  i.  18).  This  part  of  the  service 
is  usually  said  at  the  foot  of  the  chancel  steps, 
formerly  at  the  church  door.  The  marriage  serv- 
ice proper  begins  at  the  w^ords,  "With  this  ring  I 
thee  wed,"  which  are  said  at  the  altar  rail,  the 
priest  going  within  the  sanctuary.  The  English 
Prayer  Book  adds,  "It  is  convenient  that  the  newly 
married  persons  should  receive  the  Holy  Commun- 
ion at  the  time  of  their  marriage."  Special  Epistle 
and  Gospel  w^re  at  one  time  appointed  for  the  pur- 


MATRI]MONY  243 

pose,  viz.,  Eph.  V.  22  to  end,  and  St.  Matt.  xix. 
3-6.  Formerly,  marriages  were  forbidden  in  sea- 
sons of  great  spiritual  joy,  like  Christmas  or 
Easter,  and  seasons  of  penitence,  like  Advent  and 
Lent.  The  inappropriateness  of  Lent  is  manifest 
to  all. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ANOINTING  THE  SICK 

THIS  has  been  called  the  lost  Pleiad  of  the 
Anglican  firmament,  because  it  has  fallen  into 
disuse.  The  Prayer  Book  of  1549  made  provision 
for  it,  but  the  rite  has  been  omitted  from  all  subse- 
quent revisions.  There  are  two  names  by  which 
it  is  known,  one  among  the  Oriental  Christians, 
and  the  other  among  the  Romans. 

Prayer  Oil 

Prayer  Oil  is  the  name  given  it  by  the  Greeks. 
One  of  their  catechisms  says,  ''The  end  of  Prayer 
Oil  is  to  wipe  away  the  remains  or  dregs  of  sins, 
giving  health  to  those  who  are  anointed  in  soul  and 
body."  They  use  it  in  every  case  of  sickness,  as 
regularly  as  they  call  the  physician  of  the  body. 
Such  as  are  able  are  expected  to  visit  the  church, 
specially  on  Maundy  Thursday,  to  experience  its 
bodily  and  spiritual  blessings. 

Extreme  Unction 

Extreme  Unction  is  the  name  given  by  the 
Roman  Church,  and  is  only  administered  to  a  per- 


AXOIXTIXG  THE  SICK  245 

son  siipi)osGd  to  be  at  the  point  of  death  (in  ex- 
tremis). The  sick  person's  eyes,  ears,  nostrils, 
mouth,  hands,  and  feet,  are  anointed  by  the  Priest. 
These  words  are  used,  ''By  this  holy  unction,  and 
through  His  great  mercy.  Almighty  God  forgive 
thee  whatever  sins  thou  hast  committed  by  sight" 
(or  hearing  or  smelling,  etc.) 

Scriptural  Authority 

Oil  was  a  common  remedy  in  the  East.  In  St. 
Mark  vi.  13,  we  read  that  the  twelve  ''anointed 
with  oil  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed  them." 
Eut  the  passage  upon  which  the  rite  is  based  is  St. 
James  v.  14,  15.  'Ts  any  sick  among  you,  let  him 
call  for  the  elders  (presbyters)  of  the  Church;  and 
let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  oil  in 
the  :N'ame  of  the  Lord.  And  the  prayer  of  faith 
shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him 
up ;  and  if  he  have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be 
forgiven  him." 

Sacramental  Character 

The  outward  sign  is  anointing  with  oil,  an- 
ciently used  also  with  other  sacraments,  as  Bap- 
tism, Confirmation,  and  Holy  Order.  The  inward 
grace  is  stated  by  St.  James:  "The  prayer  of  faith 
shall  save  the  sick,"  give  not  mere  bodily  health, 
but  spiritual  salvation.  Sometimes  God  does  not 
see  fit  to  restore  the  sick  to  health,  but  where  prop- 
erly sought,  in  faith,  spiritual  blessings  are  ne 


vcr 


24G      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

held  back.  Hence  St.  James  says,  ^'The  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up  (at  the  last  day),  and  if  he 
have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him." 

Its  Restoration 

Gradually  the  Chnrch  of  the  English  speaking 
race  is  restoring  this  holy  rite.  Many  Bishops  now 
bless  oil  for  the  purpose,  and  many  priests  admin- 
ister it.  With  us  it  is  not,  as  with  the  Romans, 
postponed  until  death  seems  inevitable,  and  there- 
fore is  to  us  more  than  an  extreme  unction.  'Nor 
is  it  used  as  with  the  Orientals,  as  a  form.  It  is 
coupled  with  prayer,  hoping  for  a  restoration  of 
health  and  confident  that  God  will  pardon  all  re- 
pented sins. 


CHAPTEE  XIX 

THE  CHURCH  YEAR 

THE  value  of  the  Christian  year — that  is,  the 
setting  apart  of  days  and  seasons  to  commem- 
orate certain  events — cannot  be  overestimated,  in 
anchoring  the  Church  to  a  true  conception  of  the 
Incarnation.  It  insures  at  least  once  a  year  atten- 
tion being  given  to  all  phases  of  Christianity.  The 
Church,  as  Christ's  body,  reenacts  His  birth,  cir- 
cumcision, baptism,  fasting,  temptation,  suffering, 
crucifixion,  burial,  resurrection,  and  ascension, 
showing  their  connection  with  our  redemption  and 
spiritual  life.  The  faithful  thus  yearly  share  their 
Lord's  joys  and  sorrows.  The  sinner  sees  the 
awfulness  of  sin,  and  rejoices  at  his  redemption. 
The  saint  feels  how  close  the  Lord  has  been  to 
human  woe. 

Scriptural  Authority 

Moses  instituted  an  ecclesiastical  year  for  the 
Jews,  with  feasts  and  fasts,  nearly  all  of  which 
have  their  counterpart  in  the  Church.  Our  Lord 
not  only  observed  these  feasts,  but  also  others  ap- 
pointed by  human  authority  (St.  John  x.  22).  St. 
Paul  is  sometimes  quoted  as  being  opposed  to  holy 


248       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

days.  His  words  are  misunderstood,  for  the  same 
interpretation  would  forbid  Sunday  being  kej^t.  In 
the  Prophets  we  find  the  holy  days,  appointed  by 
God,  rejected.  But  it  was  the  spirit  in  which  they 
were  kept  against  which  the  prophets  spoke.  The 
true  spirit  of  their  observance  is  to  be  found  in 
the  w^ords  of  the  Psalmist,  ''So  teach  us  to  number 
our  days,  that  we  may  apply  our  hearts  unto  wis- 
dom" (Ps.  xc.  12).  There  are  traces  of  the  Church 
year  in  the  New  Testament.  The  Corinthians  kept 
Easter,  the  Christian  Passover  (I.  Cor.  v.  7,  8). 
St.  Paul  was  anxious  to  arrive  at  Jerusalem  before 
the  Day  of  Pentecost,  and  the  apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles would  not  merely  observe  the  legal  require- 
ments, but  call  to  mind  the  great  gift  sent  from 
heaven  on  that  day. 

Antiquity 

That  the  early  Church  commemorated  Good 
Friday,  and  some  of  the  other  gTeat  days,  seems 
evident,  for  the  origin  of  them  is  lost  in  the  midst 
of  antiquity.  In  the  Prayer  Book,  the  feasts  and 
fasts,  the  Sundays  and  holy  days,  have  special  devo- 
tions which  are  brought  out  by  proper  psalms,  ap- 
propriate Scripture  lessons,  and  Collects,  Epistles, 
and  Gospels.  These  selections  are  generally  the 
preser^^ation  of  ancient  customs. 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  249 

The  Calendar 

The  Calendar  is  found  in  the  front  of  the 
Prayer  Book,  with  a  table  of  Proper  Psalms,  and 
the  Scripture  Lessons.  It  contains  two  kinds  of 
feasts,  movable  and  immovable,  and  a  total  of  89 
specially  named  days,  inclnding  the  Sundays. 
These  days  may  be  divided  into  three  great  cycles, 
those  which  depend  upon,  and  are  connected  with, 
Christmas,  those  which  are  connected  with  Easter, 
and  all  others  which  stand  in  an  independent 
relation. 

Movable  Feasts 

Movable  feasts  are  those  which  fall  upon  differ- 
ent days  every  year,  and  depend  upon  Easter.  The 
Prayer  Book  follows  the  ancient  rule,  and  makes 
Easter  Day  fall  upon  the  first  Sunday  after  the 
full  moon  next  after  the  21st  of  March.  This  was 
the  paschal  full  moon,  when  the  Israelites  were  de- 
livered from  Egypt.  In  the  early  Church,  the 
East,  following,  as  they  claimed,  St.  John's  cus- 
tom, kept  Easter  on  the  same  day  as  the  Jewish 
Passover,  the  day  of  the  full  moon.  The  West 
observed  the  Sunday  following,  so  as  to  keep  the 
feast  always  upon  the  first  day  of  the  week.  The 
Western  custom  gradually  prevailed,  and  was 
adopted  by  the  Council  of  is^ice  (325  A.  D.).  The 
Easter  cycle  extends  from  Septuagesima  Sunday, 
nine  weeks  before,  to  Trinity  Sunday,  eight  weeks 
after.     The  earliest  that  Easter  can  fall  is  March 


250       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

22nd,  and  the  latest,  April  25th.  The  result  of 
this  variation  is  to  cut  off  or  increase  the  number  of 
Sundays  after  the  Epiphany  from  one  to  six,  and 
of  those  after  Trinity  from  twenty-two  to  twenty- 
seven.  Bishop  Coxe  says,  ''It  is  edifying  to  ob- 
serve that  this  law  of  sympathy  with  the  cycles  of 
the  moon  w^as  given  to  the  Church  by  the  Creator 
Himself,  who  placed  the  sun  and  moon  in  heaven, 
not  alone  for  their  physical  properties,  but  for 
moral  uses.  He  made  them  for  signs  and  for  sea- 
sons; and  He  developed  this  great  purpose  when 
He  gave  the  Paschal  season  to  the  Hebrews,  as  the 
mere  shadow  of  that  which  the  Christian  Church 
perpetuates,  till  the  sun  and  moon  shall  cease  to 
shine.  So  then,  as  the  great  tides  of  ocean  sweep 
around  our  planet,  this  great  Evangelical  system 
of  more  than  three  thousand  years'  duration  con- 
tinues its  sublime  and  regular  operation  on  the 
worship  of  the  Catholic  Church,  from  age  to  age, 
in  such  w^ise  that  every  rolling  year  is  full  of  Him 
who  is  the  very  Paschal  Lamb  'that  taketh  away 
the  sins  of  the  world.'  " 

The  Church  Seasons 

Advent.  The  year  opens  with  Advent  Sunday, 
the  Sunday  nearest  St.  Andrew's  Day,  November 
30th.  The  Hebrews  had  an  ecclesiastical  year  be- 
ginning in  spring  and  a  civil  year  beginning  in  the 
fall.  We  have  Advent  Sunday  and  January  1st, 
both   Xew   Year  Days.      Advent   is   a   season   of 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  251 

prayer,  hence  the  Collect  for  the  Sunday  is  re- 
peated every  day  until  Christmas.  The  Church, 
during  these  four  Advent  weeks,  prepares  her  chil- 
dren to  commemorate  our  Lord's  first  coming,  that 
His  Bride  may  be  ready  to  meet  Him  at  His 
second  coming.  It  thus  brings  to  memory  the  four 
last  things — death,  judgment,  heaven,  and  hell. 
Hence,  the  Book  of  Kevelation  is  read  during  this 
season.  Each  Sunday  has  its  theme.  The  first 
dwells  on  the  second  coming;  the  second,  on  the 
Holy  Scriptures  as  the  means  by  which  we  learn 
about  His  coming ;  and  on  the  third,  the  ministry 
is  set  before  us  to  announce  that  coming  as  John 
the  Baptist  did  the  first. 

Christmas-tide 

Christmas-tide  includes  the  festival  of  the  'Na- 
tivity  and  all  the  holiday  season  to  and  including 
the  Epiphany.  There  are  three  saints'  days  after 
Christmas  which  have  special  significance,  viz.,  St. 
Stephen,  St.  John  the  Evangelist,  and  the  Inno- 
cents of  Bethlehem,  commemorated  December  26th, 
27th,  and  28th.  Their  birth  into  heaven  is  cele- 
brated in  connection  with  our  Lord's  birth  on  earth. 
They  represent  three  classes  of  saints,  who  were 
nearest  our  Lord;  in  suffering  (St.  Stephen),  in 
love  (St.  John),  and  in  purity  (the  Innocents). 
They  represent  three  classes  of  martyrs;  in  will 
and  deed  (St.  Stephen),  in  will  only  (St.  John), 
and  in  deed  only  (the  Innocents).     They  also  rep- 


252       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

resent  the  three  stages  of  life;  infancy  (the  Inno- 
cents), manhood  (St.  Stephen),  and  old  age  (St. 
John).  This  season  also  includes  the  Circum- 
cision. 

Epiphany-tide 

Epiphany-tide  includes  the  Sundays  up  to 
Septuagesima.  Epiphany  means  ^'manifestation" 
of  Christ's  divinitj^,  and  the  appointed  Scripture 
lessons  bring  out  His  miraculous  life  and  works. 
This  season  closes  with  three  Sundays  which  pre- 
cede Lent,  called  Septuagesima,  Sexagesima,  and 
Quinquagesima,  which  occur  about  seventy,  sixty, 
and  fifty  days  before  Easter.  The  seventy  is 
symbolical  of  man's  life  of  three-score  years  and 
ten,  and  also  of  the  Babylonian  captivity.  For  this 
last  reason  the  Church's  music  is  sombre,  based 
upon  Ps.  cxxxvii.  2-4. 

Lent 

Lent  is  the  forty  days'  fast  before  Easter,  in 
imitation  of  Moses,  Elijah,  the  Ninevites,  and  our 
Lord.  It  begins  with  Ash  Wednesday,  so  called 
from  an  ancient  custom  of  placing  ashes  on  the 
head  as  a  sign  of  mourning.  The  season  consists 
of  forty-six  days,  but  the  six  Sundays  are  not  fasts, 
so  the  number  forty  is  left.  These  Sundays  have 
special  lessons  brought  out  in  the  Gospels  and 
Epistles  of  the  Communion  service.  In  the  first 
three  we  are  shown  how  our  Lord  overcame  Satan, 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  253 

bv  resisting  temj^tation,  and  can  help  others  by 
casting  out  devils.  On  the  last  three  He  is  repre- 
sented as  our  Prophet  (4th  Lent),  Priest  (5th 
Lent),  and  King  (Palm  Sunday). 

Holy  Week 
Holy  Week  begins  on  Palm  Sunday.  The  les- 
sons selected  to  be  read  are  specially  appropriate 
on  Maundy  Thursday,  when  the  Eucharist  was  in- 
stituted. Good  Friday,  the  day  of  the  crucifixion, 
and  Easter  Even,  when  our  Lord  lay  in  the  grave. 

Easter-tide 

Easter-tide  is  one  of  joy.  It  includes  five  Sun- 
days after  Easter  Day. 

Ascension-tide 

Ascension-tide  may  be  said  to  include  the  Fifth 
Sunday  after  Easter.  It  is  called  Kogation  Sun- 
day, as  though  the  Church  was  specially  preparing 
her  petitions  for  her  Lord  to  take  with  Him  to 
heaven.  The  three  following  days,  Monday,  Tues- 
day, and  Wednesday,  are  the  Eogation  Days.  On 
them  prayers  are  offered  for  an  abundant  harvest, 
and  thus  they  stand  as  the  counterpart  of  Thanks- 
giving Day.  Holy  Thursday,  forty  days  after 
Easter  (Acts  i.  3)  is  Ascension  Day.  The  theme 
for  the  Sunday  after  is  our  Lord's  Priesthood  in 
heaven,  and  His  continual  intercession  for  us. 

Whitsun-tide 

Whitsun-tide  is  the  Christian  Pentecost. 


254       THE  CHURCHMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Trinity-tide 

Trinity-tide  includes  the  remainder  of  the 
Church  year,  and  is  from  five  to  six  months 
in  extent.  It  is  unbroken  by  festivals,  except  the 
saints'  days.  Thus  the  first  half  of  the  year,  from 
Advent  to  Trinity,  teaches  doctrine  and  recounts 
the  life  of  our  Lord — that  is  the  Creed.  The 
last  half,  the  Sundays  after  Trinity,  teaches  prac- 
tical duties — that  is,  the  Ten  Commandments. 

The  Sundays 

The  Sundays  are  weekly  memorials  of  the  Res- 
urrection, a  lesser  Easter  in  each  week.  The 
Hebrew  day  of  rest  was  the  seventh,  or  Sabbath. 
Christians  observe  the  first.  On  the  first  day  of 
the  week  our  Lord  rose  from  the  dead,  and  the 
Holy  Spirit  was  poured  upon  the  apostles.  It  is 
mentioned  as  a  day  to  celebrate  the  Eucharist  (Acts 
XX.  7),  and  for  offering  alms  (I.  Cor.  xvi.  2).  It 
is  mentioned  by  the  most  ancient  writers,  and  was 
early  connected  with  the  Lord's  Day  (Rev.  i.  10), 
hence  it  is  His,  not  ours.  It  is  a  day  for  divine 
worship,  as  the  perpetual  Sabbath  will  be  in 
heaven.  It  is  a  beautiful  thought  to  remember 
that  God  made  light  on  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
and  that  Easter,  when  Christ,  the  Light  of  the 
World,  rose  from  the  dead,  was  the  first  day  of  the 
new  creation,  and  thus  we  are  ^^children  of  the 
light."     The  appointment  of  an  Epistle  and  Gos- 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  255 

pel  for  every  Sunday  individualizes  each^  and  this 
is  generally  enlarged  upon  in  the  lessons  of  Morn- 
ing and  Evening  Prayer,  and  in  the  hymns  that  are 
sung.  Some  Sundays  have  special  names,  as  Ad- 
vent Sunday,  Passion  (5th  Lent),  Palm,  Low  (1st 
after  Easter),  of  the  Good  Shepherd  (2nd  after 
Easter),  Rogation  (5th  after  Easter),  etc. 

Festivals  of  Our  Lord 

The  months  and  seasons  of  the  natural  year 
depend  upon  the  earth's  revolution  around  the  sun, 
so  the  Sun  of  Eighteousness  regulates  the  sacred 
seasons  of  the  Church. 

Annunciation 

Annunciation,  March  25th,  is  determined  by 
Christmas  and  the  physiological  law  to  which 
Christ  subjected  Himself  when  He  became  man. 
It  was  in  the  sixth  Llebrew  month  (St.  Luke  i.  26), 
that  is,  March.  It  was  the  beginning  of  the  Incar- 
nation. 

Christmas  Day 

Christmas  Day,  December  25th.  Some  have 
doubted  as  to  this  being  the  actual  day  of  Christ's 
birth.  It  has  been  supposed  improbable  that  shep- 
herds would  watch  their  flocks  during  a  December 
night.  Travelers  tell  us  it  is  a  common  occurrence. 
The  climate  in  southern  Judea  is  mild.  Shepherds 
at  that  season  sought  ^^the  hill  country."     Very 


256       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

probably  this  flock  was  the  sacred  temple  flock  from 
which  the  lambs  for  the  daily  sacrifice  were  taken, 
which  always  pastured  near  Bethlehem,  and  always 
were  kept  in  the  fields,  whatever  might  be  the 
weather.  The  Eoman  archives  were  early  exam- 
ined for  the  registration  of  Christ's  birth,  which 
Avas  found  to  have  been  on  December  25th.  The 
use  of  Christmas  greens  is  derived  from  the  feast 
of  tabernacles,  of  which  this  festival  is  the  antitype 
(Lev.  xxiii.  39-44).  Our  Lord  is  said  to  have 
tabernacled  in  the  flesh  (Greek  of  St.  John  i.  14). 
This  custom  was  foretold  by  the  prophet  (Isa. 
Ix.  13). 

Circumcision 

Circumcision,  January  1st.  Eight  days  after 
His  birth,  our  Lord  was  circumcised,  and  received 
the  name  of  Jesus.  As  the  world's  ^ew  Year's 
Day,  the  services  in  some  respects  refer  to  the  fact, 
though  not  anciently.  For  January  1st  was  not 
always  ]^ew  Year's  Day. 

The  Epiphany 

The  Epiphany,  January  6th,  in  the  East,  is  re- 
garded as  the  day  of  our  Lord's  Baptism ;  in  the 
West,  the  day  the  wise  men  presented  their  gifts. 
Much  poetical  sentiment  has  gathered  around  these 
Magi,  and  the  Church  has  many  traditions  regard- 
ing them.     The  symbol  of  the  dav  is  a  star. 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  257 

Purification 

Purification,  February  2nd,  was  the  day  upon 
which  our  Lord's  Virgin  mother  was  purified  ac- 
cording to  the  law,  forty  days  after  His  birth.  It 
was  His  first  presentation  in  the  temple.  Its 
symbol  is  a  pair  of  turtle  doves. 

The  First  Sunday  in  Lent 
The  First  Sunday  in  Lent  commemorates  our 
Lord's  fasting  and  temptation.  It  thus  stands  at 
the  beginning  of  the  penitential  season.  It  shows 
us  how  He  was  tempted,  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 
sin,  and  He  sets  the  example  that  "this  kind  goeth 
not  out  but  by  prayer  and  fasting." 

Palm  Sunday 
Palm  Sunday  is  the  day  our  Lord  rode  in  tri- 
umph into  Jerusalem,  when  the  children  waved 
palm  branches  to  express  their  joy.  From  a  very 
early  day,  palm  branches  or  substitutes  for  them 
have  been  used  on  this  day,  blessed,  and  distrib- 
uted, or  carried  in  procession. 

Maundy  Thursday 

Maundy  Thursday  commemorates  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  Church's  lessons 
on  this  day  have  special  significance;  they  relate 
the  account  of  the  institution  and  crucifixion,  the 
act  of  Melchisedec,  and  the  giving  of  manna,  types 
of  the  Eucharist. 


258       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Good   Friday 

Good  Friday  is  the  most  solemn  day  of  the 
whole  year,  and  the  Church  strives  to  bring  vividly 
before  the  minds  of  the  faithful  the  death  of  the 
Son  of  God. 

Easter  Even 

Easter  Even  shows  another  side  of  His  human- 
ity, the  separation  of  His  soul  and  body,  the  one 
in  Hades,  the  other  in  the  grave. 

Easter 

Easter  manifests  His  divinity,  in  that  He  rose 
again  from  the  dead. 

Ascension 

Ascension  Day  comes  forty  days  after  Easter. 
Thus  our  Lord's  life  is  followed  from  heaven  and 
back  again;  from  the  manger  to  the  throne. 

Days  of  the  Virgin 

The  greatest  of  all  saints  was  she  who  became 
the  mother  of  our  Lord.  Kome  has  raised  her  to 
be  the  queen  of  heaven  and  co-mediatrix  with 
Christ,  and  looks  to  her  for  salvation.  There  is  no 
instance  in  Scripture  which  records  a  prayer  ad- 
dressed to  her,  by  Christ,  His  apostles,  or  the  early 
converts,  nor  were  those  converts  taught  to  pray  to 
her.  The  extravagant  language  recommended  by 
many  Eomish  books  of  devotion  is  grossly  idola- 


THE   CHURCH  YEAR  259 

trous.  Yet  she  is  the  first  of  saints,  aud  blessed 
among  women.  Four  words  were  applied  to  her 
by  the  Early  Church.  She  is  (1)  blessed  Mary, 
(2)  virgin,  (3)  ever  virgin,  (4)  mother  of  God.  1. 
Blessed,  see  St.  Luke  i.  28,  48.  2.  Virgin,  St. 
Matt.  i.  23,  25.  3.  Ever  virgin,  Ezek.  xliv.  2. 
The  brethren  mentioned  in  Scripture  were  His 
cousins.  The  Greek  word  has  that  meaning.  4. 
Mother  of  God.  St.  John  i.  14 ;  St.  Luke  ii.  5,  6. 
This  was  the  title  given  by  the  Third  General 
Council  at  Ej^hesus,  and  means  that  she  was  the 
mother  of  Him  who  was  God.  It  is  intended  to 
bring  out  the  doctrine  of  the  Incarnation.  The 
Prayer  Book  has  two  days  commemorating  her. 
They  also  belong  to  her  Son.  They  are  the  An- 
nunciation, March  25th,  and  Purification,  Feb- 
ruary 2nd.  The  black  letter  days  of  the  English 
Prayer  Book  also  name  December  8th,  her  concep- 
tion, September  8th,  her  nativity,  and  July  2nd, 
her  visitation  to  her  cousin  Elisabeth  (St.  Luke  i. 
39-56)  ;  there  might  be  added  August  15th,  her 
falling  atileep. 

Saints'  Days 

The  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  is,  so  to  speak,  a  calendar  of  ancient 
saints.  St.  Paul  called  upon  the  Church  to  remem- 
ber those  that  had  the  rule  over  them  (Heb.  xiii. 
7).  The  Church  of  Smyrna  celebrated  the  anni- 
versary  of   Polycarp's   martyrdom,    and   Antioch 


260      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  KEADY  REFERENCE 

that  of  Ignatius.  They  were  both  Bishops  in  those 
respective  cities.  Tertullian  (A.  D.  190),  says, 
^^We  make  anniversary  oblations  for  the  dead  on 
their  birthdays."  Peter  Chrysologus,  in  a  sermon 
on  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Cyprian,  says,  ''When  ye 
hear  of  a  birthday  of  saints,  do  not  imagine  that 
that  is  spoken  of,  in  which  they  are  born  on  earth 
of  flesh,  but  that  in  which  they  are  born  from  earth 
into  heaven,  from  labor  to  rest.  .  .  .  Such  are 
the  birthdays  we  celebrate."  Before  the  Keforma- 
tion,  nearly  every  day  had  its  appropriate  saint. 
Some  of  these  Avere  real  saints,  some  doubtful,  and 
some  far  from  saintliness.  So  the  revisers  of  the 
Prayer  Book  wiped  out  of  the  calendar  the  special 
services  for  all  except  Scriptural  characters.  The 
Church  of  England  has  retained  what  are  called 
black  letter  days  (which  have  no  special  services 
assigned  to  them).  We  are  not  always  able  to  say 
why  certain  saints  of  the  first  century  were  as- 
signed to  certain  days ;  in  the  case  of  the  black  let- 
ter days,  it  is  the  day  of  their  departure  from  this 
world.  Here  are  reasons  for  some  of  the  red  letter 
days  in  the  American  Prayer  Book : 

St.  Andrew 

St.  Andrew,  November  30th,  was  the  first 
disciple  called  by  our  Lord,  hence  his  day  regulates 
Advent,  the  beginning  of  the  Church  year. 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  261 

St.  Thomas 

St.  Thomas'  Day,  December  21st,  is  the  shortest 
day  of  the  year.  The  ancients,  not  as  familiar  with 
the  movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies  as  we  are, 
seemed  to  doubt  whether  the  sun  would  return  from 
his  southern  declination.  Hence  the  day  is  appro- 
priate to  doubting  Thomas. 

St.  Stephen 

St.  Stephen,  St.  John,  and  the  Innocents,  De- 
cember 26th,  27th,  and  2Sth,  have  been  mentioned 
in  connection  with  Christmas-tide. 

Nativity  of  St.  John  the  Baptist 

JS^ativity  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  June  24th,  is 
determined  by  St.  Luke  i.  36.  He  was  six  months 
older  than  our  Lord. 

St.  Peter 

St.  Peter,  June  29th.  This  day  may  almost 
positively  be  asserted  as  the  actual  day  of  martyr- 
dom of  both  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul. 

St.  iVIichael  and  All  Angels 

St.  Michael  and  All  Angels  was  appointed  on 
September  29th  because  at  first  a  celebrated  church 
was  dedicated  on  that  day  by  this  title.  Afterwards 
the  day  was  kept  as  an  annual  feast,  which  eventu- 
ally spread  throughout  the  Church. 


262       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

All  Saints' 

All  Saiuts'  Day  was  appointed  on  November 
1st  to  close  np  the  Church  year  by  gathering  into 
one  commemoration  all  saints  not  otherwise  named. 
The  Pantheon,  a  temple  to  all  the  gods,  in  Rome, 
was  on  this  day  in  the  year  608  converted  into  a 
church  dedicated  to  St.  Mary  and  all  martyrs,  and 
thus  the  day  afterwards  became  consecrated  to  all 
the  saints  of  God. 

Black  Letter  Days 

The  Church  of  England  has  retained  other  days 
besides  Scripture  characters,  called  Black  Letter 
days,  because  printed  in  black  ink,  while  the  others, 
like  the  rubrics,  are  printed  in  red  or  Italic.  They 
have  no  special  services.  Many  parishes  and  guilds 
are  named  after  the  persons  thus  commemorated. 
Some  were  martyrs  in  the  early  Church,  like  St. 
Agues  and  St.  Lawrence.  Some  were  connected 
with  the  foundation  of  the  Church  in  England, 
like  St.  Alban  and  St.  Chad.  Some  were  cele- 
brated in  the  general  Church,  like  St.  CjT^rian  and 
St.  Augustine. 

Fasts 

Our  Lord  said  that  when  He,  the  Bridegroom, 
should  be  taken  away.  His  disciples  would  fast. 
Fasting  and  prayer  are  coupled  in  Scripture  and 
practised  by  saints.  On  Ash  Wednesday,  the  Gos- 
pel is  our  Lord's  admonition  concerning  fasting. 


THE  CHURCH  YEAR  263 

The  earlj  Christians,  on  fast  days,  abstained  from 
food  nntil  3  p.  m.,  and  sometimes  until  evening. 
Our  modern  mode  of  life  probably  makes  this  im- 
possible, but  we  can  diminish  the  quantity  and 
quality.  Animal  food  was  refused  because  it  was 
a  great  delicacy,  and  was  indicative  of  the  life  and 
blood  shed  by  our  Lord.  This  latter  does  not  apply 
to  fish,  hence  fish  was  allowable.  What  was  econ- 
omically saved  by  fasting  w^as  used  in  charity  or 
given  to  the  Church.  This  is  the  true  method  of 
''mortifying  the  fiesh,''  of  keeping  the  flesh  sub- 
dued to  the  spirit''  (I.  Cor.  ix.  27).  The  days  of 
fasting  and  abstinence  are  as  follows : 

Ash  Wednesday  and  Good  Friday  have  already 
been  mentioned,  also  the  forty  days  of  Lent,  and 
Rogation  Days. 

All  Fridays  in  the  year,  except  Christmas. 
This  gives  a  weekly  commemoration  of  our  Lord's 
death,  as  Sunday  is  a  weekly  memorial  of  the  Ees- 
urrection. 

The  Ember  Days  are  the  Wednesdays,  Fridays 
and  Saturdays  at  the  four  seasons.  The  word 
Ember  means  a  season.  Three  of  them  occur  in 
special  Church  seasons,  namely,  in  the  third  week 
in  Advent,  first  week  in  Lent,  and  Whitsun  Week. 
The  fourth  occurs  in  September.  The  Prayer 
Book  states  that  the  first  and  last  here  named  are 
regulated  by  December  13th — that  is,  St.  Lucy's 


264       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Day — and  September  14th — that  is,  Holy  Cross 
Day.  The  Sundays  after  these  days  are  appointed 
for  ordinations. 

Of  books  relating  to  the  Christian  Year  there 
is  an  abundance.  Staley's  Liturgical  Year  (Mow- 
bray, $1.40)  is  excellent.  The  stories  of  the  saints, 
including  the  minor  saints  of  the  English  kalendar, 
are  well  told  in  Everyman  s  Booh  of  Saints,  by  the 
Kev.  C.  P.  S.  Clarke  (Mowbray,  $1.40). 


CHAPTEK  XX 

CHRISTIAN  ART  AND  SYMBOLISM 

THE  Church,  the  Bride  of  our  Lord,  ''arrayed 
for  her  marriage,"  this  ''King's  daughter,  all 
glorious  within"  (Ps.  xlv.  14:),  has  in  every  age 
called  out  the  ardent  affection  and  devotion  of  her 
children.  The  woman  who  broke  the  box  of  pre- 
cious ointment  upon  our  Lord  has  always  had 
numerous  disciples  to  pour  out  their  ointment  on 
the  "mystical  Body  of  Christ."  To  these  devotees, 
whose  loving  and  refined  natures  shower  wealth 
and  art  upon  their  beloved,  it  is  no  waste.  The 
painter,  the  sculptor,  the  musician,  artists  of  every 
kind,  find  niches  in  the  walls  of  the  Church  in 
which  to  work.  Solomon's  temple  was  adorned 
with  graceful  pillars  and  plates  of  gold,  brazen 
oxen  and  sculptured  flowers,  cherubim  and  angelic 
forms.  These  works  of  human  art  were  not  for 
man's  pleasure,  or  objects  of  worship.  They  were 
for  God's  glory,  and  to  elevate  the  mind  above  the 
things  of  this  world  by  suggesting  holier  thoughts. 
The  stained  glass,  admitting  its  "dim,  religious 
light,"  and  revealing  some  story  from  the  Bible, 
or  Church  history,  reminds  us  that  we  are  like 
patriarch,  prophet,  or  apostle,  saint,  father,  or  mar- 


266       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

tyr,  pilgrims  on  earth.  Perchance  we  see  the  wall 
decorated  with  some  memorial  in  brass,  recording 
the  virtues  of  one  now  at  rest.  The  sculptor  has 
upon  the  marble  altar  displayed  his  skill  in  sym- 
bolic monograms.  The  altar  plate  is  possibly  en- 
riched by  precious  stones,  displaying  also  the  en- 
graver's art.  The  ingenuity  of  woman's  nimble 
fingers  is  seen  in  the  beautiful  embroidery  and  art- 
istic desig-ns  upon  vestments  or  frontals.  The 
Psalmist  says,  ''Her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold. 
She  shall  be  brought  unto  the  King  in  raiment  of 
needlework"  (Ps.  xlv.  15).  Bezaleel  and  Aholiab 
(Ex.  xxxvi.  1)  find  successors  in  the  Christian 
Church.  Xow,  as  then,  women  'Svith  wise  hearts" 
stitch,  w^hile  all  the  people  bring  with  a  ''willing 
heart"  offerings  to  the  Lord,  "gold,  silver,  brass, 
blue,  purple,  scarlet,  and  fine  linens." 

Symbolism 

Intimately  connected  with  ecclesiastical  art  is 
Church  symlx)lism,  occurring  as  it  does  embroid- 
ered upon  vestments,  wrought  into  stones,  carved 
on  altars,  and  engraved  on  sacred  vessels.  Many 
of  the  designs  are  of  extreme  antiquity,  and  are 
found  in  the  catacombs,  where  the  Christians  of 
the  first  three  centuries  were  wont  to  conceal  them- 
selves from  their  heathen  persecutors.  Many  of 
them  were  used  as  masonic  emblems  are  now,  the 
meaning  only  being  known  to  the  initiated.  We 
mav  thus  regard  them  as  another  characteristic  of 


CHRISTIAN  ART  AND  SYMBOLISM  267 

the  historic  Church,  together  with  her  line  of  Bish- 
ops, her  liturgy,  her  sacred  seasons,  and  her  vest- 
ments. Some  are  here  described : 
AO 
AQ  (Alpha,  Omega)  are  derived  from  Rev.  i. 
8 ;  they  are  the  first  and  last  letters  of  the  Greek 
alphabet,  thus  expressing  two  ideas,  the  eternity  of 
Christ's  existence,  and  also  His  title,  the  ''Word  of 
God" ;  for  all  spoken  and  written  language  is  en- 
compassed between  the  first  and  last  letters  of  the 

alphabet. 

Chi  Rho 

Chi  Rho  is  equivalent  to  the  first  two  letters 
(XP)  of  the  word  Christ  in  Greek.  It  surmounted 
the  labarum  or  banner  of  Constantine  after  his  con- 
version (see  page  88).  The  cross  of  one  of  the 
letters  is  appropriately  Christian.  Frequently  the 
two  letters  appear  crossed  as  a  monogram. 

The  Fish 

The  Fish  is  one  of  the  oldest  Christian  symbols 
known.  It  refers  to  our  spiritual  birth  in  Bap- 
tism, and  of  the  worldly  profession  of  the  first  dis- 
ciples, who  were  made  fishers  of  men.  The  letters 
of  the  Greek  word  fish,  IX0Y2  (ichthus)  are  the 
initials  in  the  same  language  for  the  words  mean- 
ing 'Mesus  Christ,  God's  Son,  Saviour."  Tertul- 
lian  in  the  second  century  mentions  this  acrostic. 
I  H  S  are  the  first  three  ietters  of  Jesus  in  Greek. 


268      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

It  is  incorrect  to  apply  them  to  the  Latin  in  hoc 
signo  (in  this  sign),  or  to  the  initials  of  the  Latin 
words  meaning,  ^^Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  men." 

A  Triangle 

A  triangle  or  three  leaf  clover  is  emblematic  of 
the  Trinity. 

A  Sheaf  of  Wheat  and  Bunch  of  Grapes 

The  sheaf  of  wheat  and  bunch  of  grapes  rep- 
resent the  Eucharist. 

The  Dove 

The  Dove  is  sacred  to  the  Holy   Spirit   (St. 

Matt.  iii.  IG). 

The    Pelican 

The  pelican  is  a  symbol  of  the  Holy  Commun- 
ion. It  was  an  ancient  tradition  that  this  bird 
plucked  the  flesh  from  its  own  breast,  to  feed  its 
young  in  the  nest  (St.  John  vi.  51). 

The  Phoenix 

The  Phoenix  is  a  symbol  of  the  Resurrection. 
It  was  fabled  to  live  single,  and  at  the  end  of  a 
thousand  years  to  die  and  rise  from  its  own  ashes. 

The  Peacock 

The  Peacock  was  very  often  used  in  Christian 
decorations.  Examples  exist  from  the  first  cen- 
turv.     It  also  svmbolizes  the  Resurrection  from  its 


CHRISTIAN  ART  AND  SYMBOLISM  269 

annual  moulting  and  renewing  its  feathers.  Its 
flesh  was  thought  to  be  incorruptible,  and  hence 
was  a  symbol  of  immortality. 

The  Agnus  Dei 

The  Agnus  Dei  (Lamb  of  God,  St.  John  i.  29) 
is  conventionally  represented  as  a  lamb,  bearing 
over  its  shoulder  a  banner  of  the  cross. 

The  Instruments  of  the  Passion  are  frequently 
grouped,  the  crown  of  thorns,  post  with  rings,  to 
which  are  bound  the  rope,  scourge,  nails,  dice,  reed, 
sponge,  and  hammer. 

The  Cross 

The  Cross  is  the  central  figure  of  all  symbolism. 
St.  Paul  rejoiced  in  it  (Gal.  vi.  14).  It  is  men- 
tioned by  the  earliest  writers,  and  has  been  repre- 
sented in  a  variety  of  forms. 

T  is  called  the  tau  cross,  because  it  is  the  shape 
of  the  Greek  letter  tau.  It  is  incomplete,  lacking 
the  top,  and  is  regarded  as  the  anticipatory  cross, 
the  cross  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  pole  upon 
which  the  brazen  serpent  was  elevated  is  usually 
given  this  shape. 

The  Greek  cross  has  all  four  arms  equal. 

The  Latin  cross  has  the  lower  limb  a  little 
longer  than  the  upper. 

X  is  St.  Andrew's  cross.  Tradition  says  the 
apostle  was  crucified  on  it. 

The  cross  of  the  Atonement  stands  upon  three 


270       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

steps  representing  the  Christian  graces,  faith,  hope, 

and  charity. 

The  Pastoral  Staff 

The  pastoral  staff  is  a  shepherd's  crook  carried 
by  the  Bishop,  the  chief  shepherd  of  a  diocese. 

Certain  saints  and  days  have  their  own  special 
symbols,  as  the  star  of  the  Epiphany,  and  the  Dove 
of  Whitsunday.  The  lily  and  the  rose  are  appro- 
priate to  the  Virgin,  the  keys  to  St.  Peter,  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit  to  St.  Paul,  and  a  money  bag 
to  St.  Matthew.  The  various  instruments  of  tor- 
ture are  assigned  to  different  martyrs,  as  the  large 
knife  to  St.  Bartholomew,  the  saw  to  St.  Simon, 
and  the  axe  to  St.  Thaddeus.  There  are  other 
symbols,  as  a  cai^:)enter's  rule  to  St.  Thomas,  be- 
cause he  directed  a  king,  who  wished  to  build  a  fine 
palace,  how  to  build  one  in  heaven  by  giving  his 
treasures  to  the  poor.  To  St.  John  belongs  a  chal- 
ice with  a  serpent  coming  from  it,  in  allusion  to 
an  attempt  to  poison  him  at  the  sacrament,  the 
snake  representing  the  evil  departing  from  the  cup. 
From  very  early  days  the  four  beasts  of  Ezek.  i.  5, 
and  Rev.  iv.  7,  have  been  regarded  as  symbolic  of 
the  four  gospels. 

St.  Matthew Angel  or  winged  man.  Incarnation. 

St.  Luke Winged  ox Passion. 

St.  Mark Winged  lion Resurrection. 

St.  John Eagle Ascension. 

St.  ^fatthew  dwells  mostly  on  the  human  side 
of  our  Lord;  St.  Luke  on  His  suffering,  like  the 


CHRISTIAN  ART  AND  SYMBOLISM  271 

patient  ox ;  St.  Mark,  commencing  like  the  roaring 
of  a  lion  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  and  ending  with 
a  succinct  account  of  the  Eesurrection,  of  which 
the  lion,  which  was  said  to  lick  its  young  to  life, 
was  a  type;  St.  John  is  symbolized  by  the  eagle, 
which  looks  unblinded  at  the  sun,  as  the  apostle 
pierced  to  the  throne  of  God  and  saw  its  glory. 

Colors 

Colors  have  received  symbolical  use  in  social  as 
well  as  ecclesiastical  affairs.  They  are  associated 
with  certain  seasons.  The  eye  is  used  as  a  means 
of  teaching  as  well  as  the  ear. 

White  represents  joy  and  purity,  and  is  used  in 
Christmas-tide,  Easter-tide,  on  All  Saints'  Day, 
days  dedicated  to  the  Virgin,  and  at  Weddings, 
Ordinations,  Confirmations,  and  the  funerals  of 
children. 

Red  is  used  on  the  days  commemorating  mar- 
tyrs to  indicate  that  they  have  shed  their  blood  for 
Christ ;  also  at  Whitsuntide  to  symbolize  the  cloven 

tongues  of  fire. 

Black 

Black  is  appropriate  to  Good  Friday  and  at 

funerals. 

Purple 

Purple  is  a  sign  of  penitence  for  sin,  and  is 
used  in  Advent  and  Lent. 


272       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Green 

Green  is  appointed  for  such  seasons  of  the 
Church  year  as  have  no  particular  event  to  com- 
memorate, like  the  Sundays  after  Epiphany  and 
Trinity.  Green  is  the  color  of  nature's  clothing  of 
the  earth,  and  is  thus  appropriate  for  the  seasons 
when  the  Church  moves  along  in  its  even  tenor. 

Music 

The  "Service  of  Song"  Avas  brought  from  the 
temple  into  the  Church.  Twice  the  apostle  calls 
upon  the  brethren  to  sing  "psalms  and  hymns  and 
spiritual  songs."  Justin  Martyr  (2nd  century) 
speaks  of  "solemn  rites  and  hymns."  It  is  said  by 
some  scholars,  that  our  present  chant  music  is  the 
nearest  approach  to  the  Hebrew.  Possibly  Greek 
culture  produced  some  modifications.  Ignatius, 
Bishop  of  Antioch  (115  A.  D.),  regulated  the 
music  in  the  Eastern  section  of  the  Church,  with 
the  Hebrew  tones  as  the  basis.  Ambrose  (4th  cen- 
tury) adopted  this  in  the  West.  Afterwards  Greg- 
ory the  Great  (6th  century)  improved  it.  Erom 
him  we  obtain  the  Gregorian  chants,  certain  tones 
of  which  are  adapted  to  certain  Church  seasons. 
Metrical  hymns  and  melodies  are  more  modern 
than  the  chant.  They  were  first  introduced  by  the 
iVrians  to  disseminate  their  heresy,  and  adopted  by 
the  Church  to  counteract  the  pernicious  influence. 


CHRISTIAN  ART  AND  SYMBOLISM  273 

Antiphonal  Singing 

The  true  place  for  the  choir  is  between  the  nave 
and  the  altar.  The  Levites  stood  on  the  steps  lead- 
ing from  the  outer  court  of  the  people  to  the  holy 
place,  in  two  ranks  facing  each  other.  The  removal 
of  the  choir  to  a  gallery  or  some  other  portion  of 
the  building  came  about  when  the  singers  ceased 
to  be  vested  ministers.  With  the  change  of  place 
came  a  change  in  the  music,  and  the  chant  gave 
way  to  more  florid  harmonies.  With  the  choir  in 
its  true  place,  divided  into  tAvo  sections  facing  each 
other,  it  is  able  to  retain  the  ancient  mode  of  anti- 
phonal  singing,  or  in  responses  (Ezra  iii.  10,  11 ; 
Is^eh.  xii.  27,  40).  The  verse  Eph.  v.  19  should 
be  translated  "speaking  to  each  other  in  psalms," 
etc.,  that  is,  antiphonally. 

IVIusical   Instruments 

Of  old,  God  was  praised  not  only  by  the  voice, 
but  by  instruments,  adding  to  the  volume  and  dig- 
nity of  worship.  The  trumpet  and  shawms,  the 
psaltery  and  lute,  are  frequently  mentioned,  while 
in  heaven  the  saints  use  their  harps.  The  organ  is 
now  the  instrument  generally  used.  The  earliest 
constructed  was  probably  about  the  7th  century. 
In  the  East,  instrumental  music  is  not  permitted  in 
the  churches. 


274       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Bells 

The  custom  of  calling  people  together  bj  bells 
is  distinctively  a  Christian  custom.  Aaron's  gar- 
ment was  ornamented  with  a  little  one  alternating 
with  a  pomegranate.  At  first  small  hand-bells  were 
used.  In  the  sixth  century,  large  ones  were  hung 
in  towers.  In  Italy,  towers  as  separate  buildings 
were  erected  for  the  purpose.  In  the  Middle  Ages, 
bells  were  dedicated  to  saints,  and  specially  blessed 
by  a  ceremony  called  Christening.  For  fuller 
reading  on  the  Symbolism  of  the  Church,  see  Ditch- 
field's  Symbolism  of  the  Church,  a  little  volume  in 
Mowbray's  series  of  "Arts  of  the  Church,"  price 
60  cents. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  CHURCH   BUILDING  AND  ITS  ARCHITECTURE 


EAST 

ALTAS 


SAWCTUARY 
CHOIR 

TRANSEPTS 


rONT^ 

The  Form 

THE  form  of  Church  buildings  occasioned  little 
thought  among  the  first  Christians.  They  were 
too  poor  to  build,  and  at  any  moment  their  prop- 
erty was  liable  to  confiscation.  After  the  conver- 
sion of  Constantine,  he  gave  the  Church  the  court- 
houses of  justice,  called  basilicas.  Gradually,  in 
the  West,  Gothic  architecture  was  developed,  and 
found  to  be  most  suitable  for  worship,  capable  of 


276       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  greatest  ornamentation,  and  full  of  symbolism. 
In  England  it  assumed  characteristics  of  its  o^vn, 
and  has  received  different  names  according  to  the 
age  when  it  was  developed,  and  the  prevailing  style, 
as  Gorman,  Early  English,  Decorated,  and  Per- 
pendicular. Many  of  the  Cathedrals  and  parish 
churches  in  that  country  are  sermons  in  stone, 
poems  frozen  and  crystallized. 

The   Interior 

The  interior  of  an  ordinary  Gothic  church  is 
divided  into  three  parts.  1.  The  nave,  where  the 
people  assemble,  so  called  from  the  Latin  navis,  sl 
ship,  referring  to  the  boat  in  which  our  Lord  sailed, 
and  to  the  ark  which  saved  Xoah.  2.  The  chan- 
cel or  choir,  where  the  vested  choristers  sit,  and  in 
which  stand  the  pulpit  and  lectern  for  the  Bible. 
This  is  frequently  separated  from  the  nave  by  a 
rood-screen,  a  series  of  arches  and  tracery-work 
supporting  a  cross.  3.  The  sanctuary,  in  which 
is  the  altar,  separated  from  the  choir  by  the  Com- 
munion rail.  The  altar  is  usually  raised  on  one 
or  more  steps.  The  parts  of  the  building  are  sym- 
bolical of  what  the  Church  is,  of  what  it  sprang 
from,  and  of  that  toward  which  it  is  tending ;  that 
is  (1)  the  Body  of  Christ,  (2)  the  Jewish  temple, 
(3)  heaven,  together  with  (4)  the  component  parts 
of  the  Church. 


THE  CHURCH  BUILDING  277 

As  the  Body  of  Christ 

1.  As  the  Body  of  Christ,  the  building  is  usu- 
ally cruciform.  The  font  is  placed  near  the  door, 
because  it  not  only  admits  to  the  Church,  but  is  a 
putting  on  of  Christ,  the  first  step  in  the  Christian 
life.  The  altar,  at  which  is  commemorated  His 
death  and  passion,  is  raised  on  Mount  Calvary.  Its 
top  is  often  marked  with  five  crosses,  the  number 
of  His  wounds. 

Like  the  Jewish  Temple 

2.  Like  the  Jewish  temple,  the  building  has 
three  divisions,  (a)  The  court  of  the  congrega- 
tion, (h)  The  Holy  Place,  where  stood  the  altar 
of  incense,  the  table  of  shew  bread,  and  the  seven- 
branched  candlestick,  (c)  The  Holy  of  Holies, 
containing  the  Ark  of  the  Covenant  and  the  Mercy 
Seat.  So  the  church  is  divided  into  the  nave,  the 
chancel  choir,  with  its  pulpit  and  lectern,  and  the 
sanctuary,  Avith  the  altar,  the  seat  of  Christ's  sacra- 
mental Presence. 

Heaven  is  Symbolized 

3.  The  nave  corresponds  to  the  place  where 
the  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  redeemed  by 
the  Lamb  sing  God's  praises;  the  chancel  choir 
separated  by  the  screen  (Eev.  iv.  1)  (the  veil  of 
death)  corresponds  to  the  place  where  the  four  and 


278      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

twenty  elders  worship;  and  the  altar  corresponds 
to  the  ^^great  white  throne." 

The  Communion  of  Saints  is  Typified 

4.  The  nave  corresponds  to  the  Church  Mili- 
tant; the  chancel  choir  beyond  the  veil  to  the 
Church  Expectant;  the  sanctuary  to  the  Church 

Triumphant. 

Orientation 

English  churches  are  built  with  the  altar  in  the 
east.  Where  this  is  impossible,  the  altar  end  is 
called  the  conventional  east.  This  practice  enables 
the  congregation  to  face  the  east  at  prayers.  Choirs 
and  clergy  turn  to  the  east  in  many  places  in  say- 
ing the  Creed  and  the  Glorias.  Several  reasons 
are  assigned  for  this.  In  the  east  the  sun  rises, 
and  we  look  to  the  ^^Sun  of  Eighteousness  to  rise 
with  healing  in  His  wings."  Tradition  says  the 
great  Judge  will  come  from  the  East  at  His  second 
Advent.  Daniel  prayed  with  his  face  towards 
Jerusalem  (Dan.  vi.  10). 

The  Litany  Desk 

The  Litany  desk  is  placed  at  the  junction  of  the 
nave  and  chancel.  This  is  based  upon  Joel  ii.  17, 
which  verse  forms  one  of  the  petitions  in  the  serv- 
ice.    The  desk  is  sometimes  called  a  fald-stool. 

In  the  series  of  ''Arts  of  the  Church,"  pub- 
lished by  Mowbray  at  60  cents  each,  there  are  three 


THE  CHURCH  BUILDING  279 

excellent  little  works  on  Church  architecture: 
Gothic  Architecture  in  England,  and  Renaissance 
Architecture  in  England,  bj  the  Eev.  E.  H.  Day, 
and  The  Architectural  History  of  the  Christian 
Church,  by  A.  G.  Hill. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

PIOUS   USAGES 

THERE  are  some  customs  practised  in  the 
Church  which  probably  prevailed  from  the 
first.  Some  are  universal,  some  fell  into  disuse  at 
the  Reformation,  so  that  their  existence  now 
amongst  us,  or  rather  their  revival,  has  given  rise 
to  a  certain  prejudice.  A  fear  of  Romanism  has 
caused  this.  But  the  fear  is  unnecessary,  first 
because  all  that  Rome  does  is  not  evil,  and  second, 
most  of  these  customs  have  been  retained  by  many 
of  the  Protestants  of  Europe,  showing  that  Roman- 
ism has  nothing  to  do  Avith  the  question.  Most  of 
all,  it  is  both  our  duty  and  our  privilege  to  reflect 
the  best  spirit  of  the  Catholic  Church,  whether 
Romanists  or  Protestants  do  the  same  or  not. 

An  explanation  of  them  is  here  given  without 
recommending  them  for  use  in  all  churches  alike; 
but  their  history,  and  the  ground  upon  which  they 
are  based,  should  be  known.  Mention  has  already 
been  made  of  the  Eastward  Position  (page  378), 
Vestments  (page  193),  Easting  (page  262),  Sym- 
bolism (page  266),  and  Ecclesiastical  Colors  (page 
271). 


PIOUS  USAGES  281 

Kneeling 

Kneeling  in  prayer  is  an  act  of  reverence,  ex- 
pressive of  our  appearing  before  God  as  suppliants. 
We  have  numerous  examples  in  the  Bible  (II. 
Chron.  vi.  13;  St.  Luke  xxii.  41;  Acts  vii.  60, 
etc.).  There  are  instances  of  standing  during 
prayer  (St.  Luke  xviii.  11).  The  Council  of 
Nice  ordered  that  to  be  the  posture  on  Sundays, 
and  from  Easter  to  Whitsunday.  It  is  still  the 
posture  of  prayer  in  the  East.  It  does  not  seem  to 
have  prevailed  in  the  West,  and  kneeling  is  re- 
garded as  the  more  devout. 

Standing 

Standing  in  praise  is  the  custom  with  us.  Sit- 
ting was  unknown  to  the  early  Christians  in  time 
of  worship,  and  was  only  tolerated  during  the  ser- 
mon. Even  then  the  preacher  sat,  as  one  having 
authority;  the  people  stood.  The  churches  of  the 
East  are  constructed  without  seats.  Standing  is 
reverential,  and  should  be  observed  in  all  acts  of 
praise  (Xeh.  ix.  4). 

Private  Prayer  on  Entering  Church 

Private  prayer  on  entering  church  is  an  act  of 
good  manners.  At  a  social  gathering  we  first  greet 
the  host  and  hostess;  in  church  we  first  recognize 
God's  presence  and  ask  His  blessing  on  the  service, 
and  those  taking  part  in  it.     Hence,  late  or  early, 


282       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

the  devout  worshipper  at  once  kneels  in  the  pew  for 
private  prayer.  The  same  reasoning  is  applicable 
to  the  private  prayer  at  the  close. 

Bowing 

Bowing  at  all  times  is  a  sign  of  respect  and 
humility  (Gen.  xxiv.  26;  Ex.  xii.  27;  II.  Chron. 
xxix.  30).  1.  Some  bow  to  the  altar  before  tak- 
ing their  seat,  or  when  passing.  The  altar  is  God's 
throne  on  earth.  In  the  English  House  of  Lords, 
all  who  pass  the  empty  throne  of  the  king  bow 
towards  it.  2.  A  bow  is  made  when  the  ^N'ame  of 
Jesus  is  mentioned,  especially  in  the  Creed  (Phil, 
ii.  19).  3.  The  head  is  inclined  at  the  Glorias  and 
other  forms  of  doxology,  expressing  our  belief  in 
and  worship  of  the  Trinity.  4.  The  head  is  also 
inclined  at  the  words  ^^Holy,  Holy,  Holy,"  and 
^Thou  didst  humble  Thyself  to  be  born  of  a  Vir- 
gin,'' in  the  Te  Deum,  5.  The  knee  is  bowed  at  the 
Incarnaius,  in  the  Xicene  Creed,  that  is,  at  the 
words,  ^'And  was  made  Man,"  to  show  our  rever- 
ence for  this  mystery.  6.  The  knee  is  also  bent 
towards  the  Sacrament,  in  adoration  of  the  Son  of 
God,  who  is  ^Verily  and  indeed  present." 

The  Sign  of  the  Cross 

In  the  Prayer  Book  the  sign  of  the  Cross  is 
ordered  in  only  one  instance,  and  that  is  at  Bap- 
tism.    Even  here  it  may  be  omitted  if  the  request 


PIOUS  USAGES  283 

is  made,  though  the  rubric  says,  ''The  Church 
knoweth  no  worthy  cause  of  scruple  concerning  the 
same."  St.  Paul  was  not  ashamed  of  the  cross 
(Gal.  vi.  14).  The  writings  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians are  full  of  it.  TertuUian  (2nd  century)  says 
the  faithful  of  his  day  signed  the  forehead  with  a 
cross,  ''at  every  moving  from  place  to  place,  at 
every  coming  in  and  going  out,  in  dressing,  at  the 
baths,  at  table,  on  lighting  a  candle,  going  to  rest, 
sitting  down,"  etc.  St.  Cyril  (4th  century)  says, 
"Let  us  not  therefore  be  ashamed  of  the  cross  of 
Christ;  even  though  another  person  conceal  it,  do 
thou  openly  sign  it  on  thy  brow."  The  sign  is 
usually  made  with  the  thumb  or  three  middle  fin- 
gers, from  the  forehead  to  the  breast,  and  from  the 
left  to  the  right  shoulder.  It  is  used  (1)  at  the 
beginning  of  the  preliminary  private  prayer;  (2) 
at  the  end  of  the  Creed;  (3)  at  the  invocation  be- 
fore the  sermon,  and  ascription  at  the  end ;  (4)  at 
the  announcement  of  the  Eucharist  Gospel;  (5) 
before  receiving  the  Communion;  (6)  at  the  end 
of  the  Gloria  in  excelsis. 

Mixed  Chalice 

The  custom  of  mixing  a  little  water  with  the 
sacramental  wine  prevailed  in  the  earliest  ages.  It 
was  a  custom  of  the  Passover.  The  Jews  called  the 
mingled  cup  "the  fruit  of  the  vine"  (St.  Matt, 
xxvi.  29).  Wine  alone  was  called  "the  fruit  of 
the  tree."     The  Bible  never  speaks  of  bread  and 


284       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

wine,  but  always  of  ''bread  and  the  cup."  The 
mixed  chalice  symbolizes  the  blood  and  water  which 
flowed  from  our  Lord's  side  when  pierced  by  the 
soldier's  spear. 

Unleavened  Bread 

One  of  the  disputes  between  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Church  in  the  eleventh  century  was  with 
reference  to  the  kind  of  bread  to  use  in  the  Holy 
Communion.  At  the  time  of  the  Passover,  when 
our  Lord  instituted  this  sacrament.  He  used  un- 
leavened bread.  This  custom  the  West  afterwards 
adopted.  At  first,  in  the  early  Church,  the  bread 
offered  at  the  altar  was  generally  taken  from  the 
common  stock,  and  thus  crystallized  into  the  invari- 
able custom  of  the  Eastern  Church.  Howbeit,  the 
bread  of  both  Churches  is  specially  prepared  to 
insure  its  purity.  To  both  customs  appropriate 
symbols  are  assigned.  The  unleavened  bread  is  a 
type  of  Him  who  was  without  sin.  To  it  applied 
the  verse  ''Therefore  let  us  keep  the  feast,  not  with 
the  old  leaven,  neither  with  the  leaven  of  malice 
and  wickedness,  but  with  the  unleavened  bread  of 
sincerity  and  truth"  (I.  Cor.  v.  8).  The  leavened 
bread  is  said  to  represent  the  mingling  of  Christ 
and  His  people.  To  it  is  applied  the  parable  of 
the  woman,  who  took  leaven  and  hid  it  in  the  three 
measures  of  meal  "until  the  whole  was  leavened" 
(St.  Matt.  xiii.  33).  At  the  Reformation,  some 
objections    were    made    to    unleavened    wafers    as 


PIOUS  USAGES  285 

''Romish,"  albeit  the  custom  remained,  and  re- 
mains, among  the  Lutherans.  The  Prayer  Book 
from  that  time  has  left  the  matter  optional.  Grad- 
ually the  use  of  leavened  bread  generally  prevailed, 
until  within  the  last  sixty  years,  when  unleavened 
bread  has  become  very  widely  used.  It  is  thought 
to  be  purer,  and  is  more  easily  and  reverently  ad- 
ministered. In  either  kind  Christ  is  received 
whole  and  entire. 

Flowers 

The  walls  and  doors  of  Solomon's  temple  were 
adorned  with  carved  palm  trees  and  open  flowers 
(I.  Kings  vi.  29,  35),  and  the  molten  sea  with 
''flowers  of  lilies"  (I.  Kings  vii.  26).  Flowers  are 
placed  on  the  altar  in  honor  of  Him  who  is  the 
"Rose  of  Sharon  and  Lily  of  the  Valley"  (Song  of 
Sol.  ii.  1).  The  earliest  Christians  probably  did 
not  use  flowers,  because  they  were  associated  with 
the  worship  of  idols  in  heathen  temples.  As  soon 
as  that  prejudice  was  removed,  we  find  them  men- 
tioned in  Christian  worship.  The  body  of  the 
church  is  decorated  with  flowers  to  remind  us  of 
Paradise,  of  which  the  Church  is  a  type. 

Lights 

How  early  lights  were  used  ceremonially  in  the 
Church  is  hard  to  determine.  Reference  to  them 
is  very  early.  Some  say  the  "many  lights"  at 
Troas  (Acts  xx.  8)  were  not  merely  for  illumin- 


286       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

ating  purj^oses,  but  to  add  to  the  beauty  and  dig- 
nity of  worship.  The  seven-branched  candlestick 
was  placed  in  the  Jewish  temple  by  God's  com- 
mand, and  something  similar  to  it  was  seen  in 
heaven  (Rev.  i.  12,  13).  They  burn  in  honor  of 
Him  who  is  the  ''Light  of  the  World/'  ''a  Light  to 
lighten  the  Gentiles."  They  also  signify  joy  and 
glory.  Jerome  (4th  century)  says,  ''Throughout 
the  Churches  of  the  East,  when  the  gospel  is  read, 
candles  are  lighted  although  the  sun  be  shining, 
not  for  the  purjDOse  of  driving  away  darkness,  but 
as  an  outward  sign  of  gladness,  .  .  .  that  under 
the  type  of  an  artificial  illumination,  that  light 
may  be  symbolized  of  which  we  read  in  the  Psalms, 
'Thy  Word,  O  Lord,  is  a  lantern  unto  my  feet  and 
a  light  unto  my  path.'  " 

Incense 

The  Russian  Church  regards  it  as  pure  Roman- 
ism not  to  have  incense  at  every  service.  The 
Roman  Church  only  uses  it  at  certain  services. 
Many  Protestants  regard  it  as  pure  Romanism  to 
use  it  at  all,  although  many  Protestant  churches 
in  Europe  use  it.  Those  who  use  it  argue  thus: 
It  was  commanded  by  God;  it  is  used  in  heaven; 
it  was  the  subject  of  prophecy  that  the  Christian 
Church  would  use  it  in  every  place  (Mai.  i.  11). 
It  is  a  symbol  of  prayer  (Rev.  v.  8;  Ps.  cxli.  2). 
It  represents  the  merits  of  Christ,  who  presents 
our  prayers  to  God,   and  makes  them   a   "sweet 


PIOUS  USAGES  287 

savour."  St.  Ambrose  (4tli  century),  Avritiiig 
about  Zacbarias,  sajs,  "I  wish  that  the  angel  may 
stand  by  us,  when  we  incense  the  altar,  and  offer 
our  sacrifice." 

These  pious  customs,  together  with  the  two 
great  sacraments,  exercise  every  one  of  the  five 
senses  in  the  worship  of  God. 

Sense  of  sight Vestments  and  light. 

"      "  hearing Music  and  audible  prayer. 

"      "  touch Kneeling  and  Baptism. 

"      "  taste Fasting  and  Holy  Communion. 

"  smell Incense  and  fragrance  of  flowers. 

A  useful  little  book  on  the  usages  of  the  Church 
is  Why  and  Wherefore,  by  the  Eev.  Harry  Wilson, 
published  by  The  Young  Churchman  Co.,  at  25 
cents;  while  Ritual  Reason  Whij,  by  Charles 
Walker,  also  published  by  The  Young  Churchman 
Co.,  paper,  50  cents,  cloth,  $1.00,  treats  the  sub- 
ject more  fully. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

THE  CATECHISM, 
or, 

The  Things  a  Christian  Ought  to  Know  and  Believe 

THE  Confirmation  Office  requires  that  every 
child  coming  to  years  of  discretion  shall  know 
the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Com- 
mandments, and  be  sufficiently  instructed  in  the 
Catechism. 

The  Catechism  of  the  Prayer  Book  is  largely 
these  three  expanded,  with  an  explanation  of  the 
two  great  sacraments.  The  Catechism  consists  of 
five  parts : 

1.  The  Christian  Covenant— Baptism  and  Confirmation. 

2.  "  "  Faith— The  Creed. 

3.  "  "  Law — The  Ten  Commandments. 

4.  "  "  Prayer — The  Lord's  Prayer. 

5.  "  "  Sacraments — Baptism   and  Holy   Commun- 

ion. 

It  is  intended  that  these  three,  the  Creed,  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments, 
should  be  kno^\Ti  by  rote,  and  the  meaning  of  their 


THE  CATECHISM  289 

phras^es  be  understood.  The  three  are  verbal  ex- 
pressions of  St.  Paul's  evangelical  graces  (I.  Cor. 
xiii.  13). 

1.  Faith The  Creed Divine  truth. 

2.  Hope The  Lord's  Pra}  er Divine  aid. 

3.  Charity. .  .  The  Ten  Commandments.  .  .Divine  injunction. 


THE  CREED 
Necessity  for  a  Creed 

There  is  a  marked  connection  between  a  man's 
belief  and  his  actions.  He  who  believes  in  no 
moral  restraint  is  capable  of  committing  any 
crime.  He  only  fears  punishment  from  men,  or 
their  ill  will.  The  more  elevated  is  a  man's  creed, 
the  better  is  the  incentive  to  pure  action.  In 
formulating  a  creed,  care  should  be  taken  not  to 
make  it  too  exclusive,  else  others  will  not  be  able 
to  stand  upon  the  same  platform.  It  should  not 
be  speculative,  but  contain  facts.  It  is  easy  to  say 
the  ^ew  Testament  or  the  Bible  is  a  man's  creed. 
But  who  can  quote  every  part  of  either  ?  The 
Bible  has  received  various  interpretations,  so  that 
from  it  some  draw  Unitarianism,  others  Trini- 
tarianism. 


Subjects  of  the  Creed 

The  Christian  Creed  should  contain  the  three 
mysteries  of  our  religion,  the  Incarnation,  Re- 
demption, and  the  Trinitv.     The  Catechism  of  the 


290       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Prayer  Book  gives  an  excellent  summary:  "First, 
I  learn  to  believe  in  God  the  Father,  who  hath 
made  me  and  all  the  world ;  Secondly,  in  God  the 
Son,  who  hath  redeemed  me  and  all  mankind; 
Thirdly,  in  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  sanctifieth 
me  and  all  the  people  of  God."  A  creed  to  be  uni- 
versal (Catholic)  cannot  be  subject  to  change.  It 
must  be  "the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints" 
(Jude  3).  It  cannot  be  "developed,"  as  the  Ro- 
manists have  developed  theirs.  It  cannot  be  deter- 
mined by  each  man  for  himself,  as  most  Protestants 
sav.  It  was  revealed  by  God,  and  is  preserved  by 
the  Church  (11.  Tim.  ii.  2). 

Origin  of  the  Creed 

There  is  a  tradition  that  before  the  twelve  apos- 
tles separated,  to  preach  in  different  parts  of  the 
world,  each  gave  a  clause,  and  thus  composed  the 
so-called  Apostles'  Creed.  This  tradition  has  this 
much  of  truth,  that  it  is  very  probable  some  form 
of  doctrine  was  agreed  upon,  which  in  its  main 
form  has  come  down  to  us  of  the  present  day. 
Reference  is  evidently  made  to  it  in  the  I^ew  Tes- 
tament, "Let  us  walk  by  the  same  rule"  (Greek 
canon,  Phil.  iii.  16).  "Hold  fast  the  form  of 
sound  words  Avhich  thou  hast  heard  of  me"  (II. 
Tim.  i.  13.)  "God  be  thanked  that  ye  .  .  .  have 
obeyed  from  the  heart  that  form  of  doctrine  which 
was  delivered  unto  you"  (Rom.  vi.  17).  Among 
early  writers  we  find  the  substance  of  the  Creed, 


THE  CATECHISM  291 

and  almost  its  very  words  given  by  Irenaeus 
(A.  D.  175),  Tertullian  (A.  D.  195),  Origen 
(A.  D.  230),  and  so  we  can  trace  it  down  to  the 
present.  In  the  third  century,  catechetical  schools 
were  formed,  and  the  instruction  given  leaves  us  in 
no  doubt  what  meaning  was  intended  to  be  con- 
veyed by  each  clause. 

Recitation  of  the  Creed 

In  primitive  times,  the  creed  was  only  used  in 
the  instruction  of  catechumens,  at  Baptism,  and  at 
the  Ordination  of  Bishops.  The  recitation  of  the 
Nicene  Creed  in  public  was  first  introduced  by 
Peter  Fuller,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  A.  D.  471,  and 
was  adopted  by  Constantinople,  511.  In  the  West 
it  was  first  adopted  in  Spain  by  the  Council  of 
Toledo,  589,  and  in  Eome,  1014.  Since  that  time 
it  has  formed  part  of  every  liturgy  for  celebrating 
the  Holy  Communion.  Scriptural  authority  for 
this  recitation  is  found  in  St.  Paul's  words,  "With 
the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness,  and 
with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation" 
(Kom.  X.  10).  Our  Lord  said,  "Whosoever  con- 
fesseth  Me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess  before 
My  Father  which  is  in  heaven"  (St.  Matt.  x.  32). 

The  Athanasian  Creed 

A  dogmatic  hymn,  called  the  Creed  of  Athan- 
asius,  is  used  about  once  a  month  in  the  Church  of 
England,  but  not  in  the  American  Church.    Athan- 


292       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

asius  was  not  its  composer.  As  he  was  the  great 
champion  of  orthodoxy  against  Arianism  at  the 
first  Council  of  Xice,  it  received  his  name.  It  ex- 
presses in  very  plain  language  the  doctrine  of  the 
Trinity  and  Incarnation,  and  is  valuable  because 
its  phrases  will  prevent  a  wrong  conception  of  God, 
and  the  person  of  Christ.  This  creed  is  supposed 
to  have  been  written  by  Hilary,  Bishop  of  Aries, 
about  430  A.  D.  Most  of  its  phraseology  is  taken 
from  the  works  of  St.  Augustine. 

The  Church  Year  and  the  Creed 

In  another  chapter,  the  Church  year  has  been 
fully  explained.  It  may  be  interesting,  here,  to 
notice  the  intimate  relations  between  the  Creed  and 
the  Church's  holy  days,  showing  the  pains  she 
takes  to  teach  her  children  "all  the  counsel  of 
God." 


ARTICLE   OF  THE   CREED. 


I  believe  in 

rood  the  Feather  Almighty 
-{  Maker  of  heaven  and 
[  earth 

C  And  in  Jesus  Christ,  His 
(  only   Son   our  Lord 

Who  was  conceived  by  the 

Holy   Ghost. 
Born  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 

Suffered  under  Pontius  Pi- 
late 
Was  Crucified,  Dead 


SCRIPTURE    TEXT.     DAY     OR     SEASONS. 


Acts  viii.  37. 


I.  Cor.  viii.  6. 
Rev.  iv.   8. 

St.    Luke    i.    13 : 

ix.   20. 
St.  John  iii.  16. 

St.  Luke  i.  35. 

St.    Matt.    i.    23 

25. 
St.  Mark  xv.  15. 

St.   John   xix. 


Baptism  ("Dost 
thou  believe 
&c") 

Trinity    Sunday. 

(First  Lessons.) 


Epiphany. 


Annunciation  Day 
March  25th. 

Christmas  Day 
Dec.    25th. 

Holy  Week. 

Good  Friday. 


THE  CATECHISM 


293 


And   buried,    He   descended 
into  Iiell. 

The     third     day     He     rose 

again  from  the  dead, 
f  He  ascended  into  heaven 
J   and  sitteth  on  the  right 
j   hand  of  God  the  Father 
[  Almighty. 

r  From  thence  He  shall 
]  come  to  judge  the  quick 
[  and  the  dead. 


I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost, 


The  Holy  Catholic  Church, 

The  Communion  of  Saints 

The  forgiveness  of  sins, 
The     Resurrection     of     the 

body 
And  the  Life  Everlasting, 


St.    Matt,     xxvii. 

57-60  ;  Acts  ii. 

27. 
St.     Luke     xviii. 

33  ;  xxiv.  67. 
Acts  i.  9  :  vii.  56. 


Ps.  ex.  2. 
r  St.    Matt.    XXV. 
31-33 ;    Acts    i. 
11. 

I.  Thess.  iv.  16, 
17. 

St.  John  xiv.  26. 
Acts  ii.   1-4. 

fActs  ii.  41,  42, 

■I  47. 

[Eph.  V.  25.  27 

(  Heb.  xii.  28. 

\  Rom.  xii.  5. 

L  John  i.  9. 

L  Cor.  XV.  20,  21 

Dan.  xii.  2,  3. 


Easter  Eve. 

Easter  Day. 
Ascension   Day. 

Advent. 


Whitsunday    or 

Pentecost. 
In  the  Sacraments. 


All   Saints,   Nov.  1. 

Lent. 
Easter. 

Burials. 


The  Creed  may  be  paraphrased  thus  (See 
Blimt's  Annotated  Prayer  Booh)  : 

I  for  myself  as  personally  responsible  for  my 
faith  to  God  and  His  Church, 

Believe  with  the  affection  of  my  heart,  assent  of 
my  reason,  and  submission  of  my  will, 

In  God,  behind  all  nature  and  all  forces,  a  spir- 
itual, personal  Being, 

The  Father,  in  a  mysterious  manner  of  the  co- 
equal, co-eternal  Son ;  also  of  all  the  regenerate,  by 
adoption  and  grace, 

Almighty,  so  that  nothing  is  beyond  His  power 
consistent  with  goodness,  for  it  flows  from  His  in- 
finite wisdom,  and  He  is,  and  was, 

Maker,  that  is,  original  Creator  of  original  mat- 
ter, Disposer  of  that  matter  in  fit  order,  and  Or- 


294      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

dainer  of  the  laws  by  which  regulated ;  of  heaven, 
which  includes  all  occupied  space  beyond  this 
world, 

And  Earth,  which  includes  all  organic  and  in- 
organic beings  and  substances  within  the  compass 
of  this  world, 

And  in  Jesus,  perfect  Man  in  all  the  qualities 
of  human  nature, 

Christ,  anointed  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
the  High  Priest  of  a  new  order  of  the  priesthood, 
the  King  of  kings,  and  the  true  Prophet  and  ex- 
pounder of  God's  will  to  men. 

His  only  Son,  eternally  begotten,  having  such  a 
Sonship  as  none  others  Avho  call  God  Father  can 
possess. 

Our  Lord,  being  God  the  Second  Person  of  the 
Trinity,  as  well  as  Man,  Lord  of  all  by  His  divine 
nature.  Lord  of  the  Church  by  His  work  of  redemp- 
tion. 

Who  ivas  conceived  hy  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  a 
mysterious  operation,  which  brought  the  Son  of 
God  down  to  earth. 

Born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  a  holy  maiden  who 
became  miraculously  the  mother  of  Him  who  was 
God,  born  of  a  Virgin,  not  a  wife,  that  He  might 
be  free  from  the  sin  of  our  common  origin, 

Suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  the  Koman  gov- 
ernor of  Judea,  showing  that  the  sceptre  had  de- 
parted from  Judah, 


THE  CATECHISM  295 

Was  crucified,  by  being  nailed  to  a  cross,  thus 
suffering  and  becoming  a  curse  for  us  by  this 
cruel,  ignominious  punishment,  voluntarily  under- 
gone, 

Dead,  through  the  separation  of  His  soul  and 
Body, 

And  buried,  as  other  men  are,  His  body  being 
put  in  a  tomb ; 

He  descended  into  hell,  that  is,  while  His  Body 
was  in  the  grave.  His  soul  went  to  the  place  of 
departed  spirits,  where  He  proclaimed  the  work  He 
had  accomplished  to  those  souls  waiting  for  the 
Resurrection ; 

The  third  day,  counting,  as  the  Jews  did,  parts 
of  days  as  whole  days,  on  Easter, 

He  rose  again  from  the  dead,  reuniting  His 
soul  to  His  Body, 

He  ascended  into  Heaven,  after  forty  days  not 
as  God  only,  but  also  as  IMan, 

Aiid  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God  the  Father 
Almighty,  with  His  human  nature,  interceding  for 
us  and  preparing  a  place  for  us. 

From  thence  He  shall  come,  at  the  last  day, 

To  judge,  with  a  just,  yet  merciful,  judgment. 

The  quick,  those  living  at  His  coming. 

And  the  dead,  those  who  have  died  at  any  time 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 

/  believe,  with  the  same  firm  conviction. 


296      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

In  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Third  Person  of  the 
Trinity,  the  life  giver,  strengthener  and  guide  of 
the  Church, 

The  Holy  Catholic  Church,  which  Christ  pur- 
chased with  His  o^\Ti  blood,  being  His  mystical 
Body,  composed  of  all  the  baptized,  united  with  the 
head,  Christ,  by  sacraments  duly  administered  by 
priests  ordained  by  Bishops  in  apostolical  succes- 
sion, from  its  founders  the  twelve,  holding  one 
faith  throughout  the  world,  and  in  all  ages  from 
the  beginning. 

The  Communion  of  Saints,  that  is,  the  union 
in  Christ  with  all  who  are  one  with  Him,  whether 
among  the  living  on  earth,  in  Paradise,  or  enjoy- 
ing the  beatific  vision  in  heaven. 

The  forgiveness  of  sins,  by  the  ministration  of 
Christ's  Church,  in  Baptism  and  absolution,  so 
that  I  need  not  despair  of  God's  mercy. 

The  resurrection  of  the  body,  at  the  last  day, 
when  it  shall  be  raised,  glorified,  and  united  with 
the  soul, 

Aitd  the  life  everlasting,  when  time  shall  be  no 
more,  and  they  that  have  done  good  will  live  in 
never  ending  happiness,  and  they  that  have  done 
evil  in  never  ending  misery.     To  all  of  which  I 

say, 

Amen,  I  believe  these  things  to  be  so. 


THE  CATECHISM  297 

The  Lord's  Prayer 

Our  Lord  gave  this  prayer  on  two  different  oc- 
casions, once  to  the  whole  body  of  His  disciples, 
once  to  a  few  assembled  with  Him.  In  one  case  He 
says  it  is  a  model  to  be  copied,  "After  this  manner 
therefore  pray  ye"  (St.  Matt.  vi.  9-13).  In  the 
other,  it  is  always  to  be  used,  "When  ye  pray,  say" 
(St.  Luke  xi.  2-4). 

Times  of  Prayer 

David  says  three  times  a  day,  "In  the  evening 
and  morning,  and  at  noonday"  (Ps.  Iv.  18).  Dan- 
iel seems  to  have  practised  this  (Dan.  vi.  10). 
Prayer  is  the  breath  of  the  soul,  hence  the  apostle 
says,  "Pray  without  ceasing"  (I.  Thess.  v.  17). 

Objections  to  Prayer 

1.  It  is  said  the  universe  is  ruled  by  law,  and 
prayer  cannot  alter  its  perfect  order.  The  human 
will  changes  the  order  of  nature ;  so  can  God's  will. 
The  laws  of  nature  never  built  a  house  or  wrote  a 
book.  The  law  of  gravitation  is  not  violated  when 
a  hydraulic  ram  makes  water  run  uphill.  We  ask 
the  physician  to  neutralize  the  effect  of  a  poison, 
or  a  mechanic  to  protect  our  house  from  lightning 
with  a  galvanized  rod.  2.  It  is  said  God's  great- 
ness will  not  condescend  to  listen  to  prayer.  God 
is  great.  The  study  of  astronomy  confounds  the 
mind  with  His  infinity.  But  He  who  placed  the 
stars  in  the  Milkv  Wav,  with  its  suns  thousands  of 


298       THE  CHURCHMAX'S  READY  REFERENCE 

millions  of  miles  away,  and  thonsands  of  times 
larger  than  our  sun,  whicli  is  a  million  and  a  half 
larger  than  our  earth,  also  made  a  drop  of  water, 
and  myriads  of  beings  inhabiting  it.  He  numbers 
the  hairs  of  our  head,  and  notices  the  fall  of  the 
sparrow.  3.  So  many  prayers  are  unanswered. 
St,  James  tells  why,  in  many  cases.  '^Ye  ask  and 
receive  not,  because  ye  ask  amiss''  (St.  James  iv. 
3).  God  knows  best  how  to  answer  our  prayers. 
Thus  the  prayer  of  St.  Stephen  appears  unan- 
swered, but  as  has  been  said,  "If  St.  Stephen  had 
not  prayed,  the  Church  would  not  have  had  Paul." 
The  spirit  of  prayer  is,  "Xot  my  will  but  Thine  be 
done."  God  knows  best,  because  He  knows  the 
past,  present,  and  future ;  He  considers  not  the  in- 
dividual, but  the  whole  human  family.  Prayers 
for  spiritual  blessings  are  not  answered  except  with 
the  cooperation  of  man's  will ;  therefore  we  must 
not  merely  repeat  words,  but  we  must  pray  with 
the  spirit  as  well  as  understanding  (I.  Cor.  xiv. 
15). 

The  Parts  of  Prayer  are  as  Follows: 

1.  Adoration.  )  ,x^i  .  ,  r^    u     /-n 

^    „-      ,      .   .         v"  Inch  concern  God  s  Glorv. 

2.  inanksgiving.    j 

3.  Confession.  J  „,,  .  . 

.    p  ,.,.  vunich  concern  our  own  wants. 

5.    Intercession — which  concerns  the  needs  of  others. 

The  Lord's  Prayer  consists  of  seven  petitions, 
in  which  we  pray  for 


THE  CATECHISM  299 

God's  Glory.  Man's  Needs. 

1.  Reverence.  4.  Food. 

2.  Loyalty.  o.  Forgiveness. 

3.  Obedience.  6.  Guidance. 

7.  Deliverance. 

Lord's  Prayer  Paraphrased 

Our,  not  mine  alone,  for  in  prayer  I  am  united 
with  others ; 

Father  by  creation  (Mai.  ii.  10),  by  regenera- 
tion in  Baptism  ( St.  John  iii.  5 ;  and  I.  John  v. 
1),  by  adoption  (Eom.  viii.  15,  16).  We  pray  to 
Ilim  because  a  father  provides  for  his  children. 

Who  art  in  heaven,  not  that  we  mean  to  limit 
His  presence,  for  He  is  everywhere  (Ps.  cxxxix. 
7-13),  bnt  to  distinguish  Him  from  our  earthly 
father,  and  to  indicate  where  His  throne  is  (St. 
Matt.  V.  34),  and  thus  we  raise  our  thoughts  above 
the  earth. 

Hallowed  he  Thy  Name.  We  want  His  N'ame 
to  be  sacred  in  us,  and  so  held  by  men.  God's 
I^ame  to  Israel  was  Jehovah.  When  the  priests 
blessed  the  congregation,  they  put  His  ]^ame  upon 
the  people  (:N'um,  vi.  27).  To  Christians,  God  is 
knowm  as  the  Trinity,  'Tather,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,"  in  which  Xame  we  are  baptized  (St.  Matt, 
xxviii.  19). 

Thy  I'ingdom  come.  May  the  Church  be  ex- 
tended on  earth  from  pole  to  pole,  may  the  rule  of 
justice  and  love  be  hastened,  may  the  kingdom  of 
eternity  come,  and  we  have  our  part  in  it. 


300       THE  CHUECHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Thy  ivill  he  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven. 
May  Ave  bend  our  wills  to  His,  even  when  it  is  in 
our  power  to  oppose  His,  and  may  it  be  our  ''meat 
to  do  His  will"  (St.  John  iv.  34),  and  thus  live  on 
earth  in  fellowship  with  the  angels  in  heaven. 

Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread;  not  only  food 
for  the  body,  for  ''man  doth  not  live  by  bread 
alone"  (Deut.  viii.  3),  but  supernatural  (Greek  of 
St.  Matt.  V.  11  and  St.  Luke  xi.  3),  bread  of  the 
Eucharist,  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven, 
which  if  a  man  eat  he  shall  live  forever  (St.  John 
vi.  50,  58). 

Forgive  us  our  trespasses  as  ice  forgive  those 
who  trespass  against  us.  So  soften  our  hearts  after 
Christ's  example,  that  we  forgive  all  injuries  and 
all  enemies,  and  thus  obtain  God's  forgiveness  (St. 
Matt.  vi.  14,  15).  Let  it  be  sealed  to  us  in  the 
priest's  absolution  (St.  John  xx.  22,  23). 

Lead  us  not  into  temptation.  Suffer  us  not  to 
be  placed  in  positions  dangerous  to  our  souls,  and 
if  so  placed  to  test  our  character,  as  Abraham  was 
tested  (Gen.  xxii.  1),  suffer  us  not  to  be  over- 
whelmed ;  make  us  to  see  the  way  of  escape  which 
is  provided  (I.  Cor.  x.  13). 

But  deliver  us  from  evil.     Save  us  from  all 

harm,  bodily  and  spiritual,  now  and  in  the  hour  of 

death. 

The  Ten  Commandments 

These  are  recorded  twice,  in  Ex.  xx.  and  Deut. 

V.    They  were  given  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  the  Jews 


THE  CATECHISM  301 

said  on  the  fiftieth  day  (Pentecost)  after  the  Pass- 
over. They  were  written  on  two  tables  of  stone. 
The  Holy  Spirit  was  sent  to  Christians  on  Whit- 
sunday (Pentecost),  to  write  them  on  the  fleshy 
tablets  of  the  heart  (II.  Cor.  iii.  3).  The  two 
tables  teach  us: 

1.  Our  duty  towards  God ; 

2.  Our  duty  towards  our  neighbor. 

The  first  is  the  great  commandment  ( St.  Matt, 
xxii.  37-40).  Both  are  fulfilled  in  the  word  love 
(I.  Thess.  i.  5;  Rom.  xiii.  10).  Each  of  the  ten 
commandments  enjoins  a  duty  and  forbids  certain 
sins.  Each  has  a  spiritual  interpretation  exempli- 
fied in  St.  Matt.  v. 

First  Commandment 

Virtues  enjoined 
To  believe  in  God   (St.  John  xiv.l). 
To  learn  about  God   (St.  John  xvii.  3). 
To  obey  God    (Deut.  x.   12). 

Sins  forbidden 

Atheism    (Ps.  xiv.  1). 
Polytheism   (1.  Cor.  viii.  5,  6). 
Deism    (II.  Pet.  ii.  1). 

Second  Commandment 
Virtues  enjoined 

To  worship  God  in  private    (St.  Matt.   vi.   6). 

To  worship  God  in  the  congregation   (Heb.  x.  2,  5). 

To  worship  God  in  spirit  and  truth    (St.  John  iv.  28). 


302       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Sins  forbidden 
Not  to  worship  any  image  (Rom.  i.  22,  24;  Dan.  iii.)- 
Not  to  prefer  anything  before  God    ( Deut.  iv.  24 ) . 

Thibd  Commandment 

Virtues  enjoined 

Reverence  for  God's  Name    (Ps.  cxi.  9). 
Reverence  for  God's  House    (Lev.  xix.  30). 
Reverence  for  God's  Ministry  (I.  Thess.  v.  12,  13). 

8ins  forbidden 

Profanity  ( St.  Matt.  v.  34-37 ) . 
Blasphemy  (Lev.  xxiv.  10-16). 
Perjury  (Lev.  xix.  12). 

Fourth  Commandment 

The  Gospel  changed  the  observance  from  the  seventh 
day  to  the  first  day  of  the  week.  Sunday  is  the  day  of 
Christ's  resurrection  (St.  John  xx.  1).  The  following  Sun- 
day was  observed  ( St.  John  xx.  26 ) .  Pentecost  ( Acts  ii.  1 ) 
fell  on  a  Sunday.  Intimations  of  its  observance  are  found 
in  Acts  XX.  7;  I.  Cor.  xvi.  2.  It  is  called  by  St.  John,  the 
lord's  Day  (Rev.  i.  10). 

The  Jewish  Sabbath  marked 

1.  Finishing  the  work  of  creation  (Gen.  ii.  3;  Ex.  xx. 
10-11). 

2.  Deliverance  from  the  Egj'ptian  bondage  (Deut.  v.  13). 

The  Christian's  Lord's  Day  commemorates 

1.  Christ's  resurrection. 

2.  Beginning  of  the  new  creation. 

3.  Deliverance  from  the  bondage  of  sin. 

4.  The  descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Virtues  enjoined 

To  work  six  days  (II.  Thess.  iii.  10). 

To  rest  one  day  in  seven. 

To  assemble  on  the  Lord's  day  for  worship  (Acts  xx.  7). 


THE  CATECHISM  303 

To  study  God's  will  as  revealed  in  His  Word,  or  in  the 
history  of  the  Church,  by  reading  suitable  books,  papers,  or 
sermons. 

Sins  forbidden 

Not  to  work  on  the  Lord's  Day  (except  works  of  mercy 
and  necessity  (St.  Matt.  xii.  7,  12). 

Not  so  to  engage  in  secular  matters,  as  reading,  con- 
versation, etc.,  as  to  render  the  mind  unfit  for  worship  and 
the  study  of  God's  Word   (I.  Tim.  v.  22). 

Fifth  Commandment 
Virtues  enjoined 

To  obey,  in  all  things  not  sinful,  our  parents  (Eph. 
vi.  1-3). 

And  civil  authorities  (Rom.  xiii.  1-7;  I.  Peter  ii.  13-17). 

Render  to  all  their  due,  especially  our  betters  in  age, 
station,  knowledge,  etc.    ( Rom.  xiii.  7 ) . 

Sins  forbidden 

Undutifulness,  disaffection,  rebellion    (II.  Tim.  iii.  2-4). 
Pride,  vain  glory  (Rom.  xii.  3,16). 

Spiritual  Application 

To  obey  the  Bride  of  Christ,  our  Spiritual  Mother,  the 
Church.  Her  Precepts  may  be  thus  stated,  following  the 
lines  of  Bishop  Cosin,  of  Durham    (1660-1672): 

1.  To  observe  the  Festivals  and  Holy  Days  appointed. 

2.  To  keep  the  fasting  days  with  devotion  and  absti- 
nence. 

3.  To  observe  the  Ecclesiastical  Customs  and  Cere- 
monies established,  and  that  without  forwardness  or  con- 
tradiction. 

4.  To  repair  unto  the  public  service  of  the  Church 
unless  there  be  a  just  and  unfeigned  cause  to  the  contrary. 

5.  To  receive  the  Holy  Communion  with  frequent  devo- 
tion, and  three  times  a  year  at  least,  of  which  Easter  to  be 
always  one.    And  for  better  preparation  thereunto,  as  occa- 


304      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

sion  is,  to  disburden  and  quiet  our  conscience  of  those  sins 
that  may  grieve  us,  or  scruples  that  may  trouble  us,  to  a 
learned  and  discreet  priest,  and  from  him  to  receive  advice 
and  the  benefit  of  absolution. 

Sixth  Commandment 
Virtues  enjoined 
To  follow  peace  with  all  men  (Heb.  xii.  14;  Rom.  xii.  8). 
To  do  good  to  all  men  (Gal.  vi.  10). 
To  pray  for  all  men,  even  our  enemies    (I.  Tim.  ii.   1; 
St.  Matt.  v.  44). 

Sins  forbidden 

Acts  of  violence   (St.  Luke  iii.  14). 
Hatred  and  revenge   (Rom.  xii.  12,  19). 
Abusive  language  (St.  Matt.  v.  22). 

Spiritual  Application 
Not  to   commit  soul   murder   by   leading  others   to   sin 
(I.  Kings  xiv.  16). 

Seventh  Commandment 
Virtues  enjoined 
Chastity   (I.  Cor.  vi.  15). 
Pure  heart   (St.  Matt.  v.  28). 
Temperance   (I.  Cor.  ix.  25-27). 

Sins  farhidden 
Adultery   (St.  Matt.  v.  27,  28). 
Fornication  (I.  Thess.  iv.  2-5). 
Intemperance    (Rom.  xiii.  13). 

Spiritual    adultery    is    idolatry,    and    loving    something 
more  than  God   (Hos.  i.  and  ii.). 

Eighth  Commandment 
Vii'tues  enjoined 
Laboring  for  one's  livelihood  (I.  Thess.  iv.  11,  12;  Eph. 
iv.  28). 

To  pay  one's  debts   (Heb.  xiii.  18). 
Almsgiving  (I.  Tim.  vi.  17,  19). 


THE  CATECHISM  305 

Sins  forbidden 

Extortion    (St.  Luke  iii.  13). 

Dishonesty   (I.  Thess.  iv.  6). 

Cheating    (Lev.  xix.  35-36). 

Trying  to  get  something  for  nothing,  like  betting,  gam- 
bling, and  lotteries. 

Running  into  debt,  wastefulness   (St.  Luke  xv.  13). 

We  spiritually  rob  God  when  we  fail  to  contribute  to 
His  jioor,  or  to  support  His  Church  (Mai.  iii.  8). 

Ninth  Commandment 
Virtues  enjoined 

To  speak  the  truth   (Eph.  iv.  25). 

To  speak  charitably  of  all    (St.  James  iv.  11). 

To  govern  the  tongue  (St.  James  i.  26). 

Sins  forhidden 

Speaking  evil  of  others   (Ex.  xxvii.  1). 

Slander,  Gossip   (Lev.  xix.  16). 

Idle  words   (St.  Matt.  xii.  36). 

We  spiritually  break  this  commandment  by  teaching 
heresy  (II.  Thess.  iii.  6)  ;  by  misrepresenting  the  Church 
or  the  Faith. 

Tenth  Commandment 

Virtues  enjoined 

Contentment   (I.  Tim.  vi.  8). 

To  be  thankful  to  God  (I.  Thess.  v.  18). 

To  say  grace  at  meals   (I.  Tim.  iv.  4-5). 

To  keep  the  heart  with  all  diligence   (Prov.  iv.  23). 

Sins  forbidden 

Coveting  (Col.  iii.  5). 
Envying  (Gal.  v.  26). 
Not  to  be  over  anxious   (St.  Matt.  vi.  25). 


306      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

The    duties    enjoined  by    each    commandment    may    be 

summed  up  in  one  word,  thus: 

Towards  God.  Towards  our  Neighbor. 

1.  Belief.  5.    Humility. 

2.  Worship.  6.    Charity. 

3.  Reverence.  7.    Purity. 

4.  Obedience.  8.    Justice. 

9.    Truth. 
10.    Contentment. 

The  Seven  Deadly  Sins  and  Their  Contrary  Virtues. 

1.  Pride.  Humility. 

2.  Covetousness.  Liberality. 

3.  Lust.  Chastity. 

4.  Envy.  Gentleness. 

5.  Gluttony.  Temperance. 

6.  Anger.  Patience. 

7.  Sloth.  Diligence. 

These  seven  sins  are  said  to  have  been  repre- 
sented bj  the  seven  nations  the  Israelites  drove 
out  of  Canaan  (Dent.  vii.  1).  There  are  nine  ways 
of  sharing  another's  sin  (I.  Tim.  v.  22),  namely, 
by: 

1.  Counsel ;  2.  Command ;  3.  Consent ;  4.  Pro- 
vocation; 5.  Flattery;  6.  Concealment;  7.  Partak- 
ing; 8.  Silence;  9.  Defense  of  evil. 

Bishop  Hall's  Letters  to  My  Godchildren  in 
Explanation  of  the  Church  Catechism  (The 
Young  Churchman  Co.,  paper,  25  cts.,  cloth,  40 
cts.),  is  excellent  for  young  people,  while  Sadler's 
Church  Teacher  s  Manual  analyzes  it  and  proves 
it  admirably  by  Scripture  references. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

DEATH   AND   AFTER 

THE  study  of  Eschatology,  that  is,  the  science  of 
the  last  things,  is  deserving  of  some  notice. 
In  the  season  of  Advent,  the  Church  dwells  upon 
four  of  them:  Death,  judgment,  hell,  and  heaven. 
These  open  up  a  vast  number  of  allied  subjects. 
With  very  small  premises,  some  have  dogmatically 
taught  a  huge  system.  The  veil  has  only  been 
drawn  aside  long  enough  to  give  us  a  glimpse.  It 
is  best  not  to  be  wise  about  that  which  is  not  writ- 
ten. Revelation  has  not  taught  much,  but  enough 
to  confirm  our  faith,  and  raise  our  hopes  of  a  glori- 
ous immortality.  We  cannot  from  premises  based 
on  experience  in  this  world  draw  conclusions  ap- 
plicable to  the  other,  where  conditions  are  so  differ- 
ent, and  where  other  premises  undoubtedly  exist  of 
Avhich  we  are  ig-norant. 

Death 

Death  is  the  separation  of  the  soul  from  the 
body.  The  soul  lives ;  the  body  is  buried.  Death 
is  the  punishment  of  sin.     Adam  might  have  lived 


308       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

eternally  without  death.  The  Tree  of  Life  in  the 
garden  made  it  possible  for  him  to  overcome  the 
tendency  of  all  nature  to  death.  Sin  deprived  him 
of  access  to  that  tree.  As  children  of  Adam,  we 
are  subject  to  death  (Kom.  v.  12).  In  Christ,  the 
last  Adam,  we  have  life. 

The  Resurrection 

The  Resurrection  is  the  rising  of  the  body  at  the 
last  day,  when  it  will  be  again  united  to  the  soul. 
The  resurrected  body  will  be  the  same  in  identity 
as  the  earthly,  yet  different  in  appearance.  Ours 
will  be  like  Christ's  (Phil.  iii.  21).  The  earthly 
was  natural,  the  resurrected  will  be  spiritual  (I. 
Cor.  XV.  44).  This  change  (I.  Cor.  xv.  51)  will 
take  place  by  the  power  of  God  (Rom.  viii.  11). 
The  Resurrection  is  necessary,  in  order  that  the 
whole  man  may  live  in  eternity.  The  disembodied 
soul  is  only  a  part  of  man. 

The  Judgment 

The  Creed  expresses  belief  in  this  (11.  Cor.  v. 
10).  At  death  the  soul  goes  before  God  for  its 
particular  judgment,  upon  w^hich  the  soul's  condi- 
tion during  the  period  of  waiting  for  the  Resurrec- 
tion depends.  Thus  Lazarus  was  in  happiness, 
which  foreshadows  celestial  bliss,  and  Dives  in 
a  torment,  which  foreshadowed  hell.  At  the  Res- 
urrection comes  the  general  judgment. 


DEATH  AND  AFTER  309 

Condition  of  the  Dead 

There  are  three  possible  states  for  the  dead. 
One  is  that  the  soul  is  asleep.  But  this  is  contra- 
dicted by  our  Lord,  when  He  says  that  God  is  not 
a  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living,  and  also  by 
the  narrative  of  Lazarus,  Abraham,  and  Dives. 
Another  is,  that  souls  receive  their  final  doom  at 
death.  If  so,  where  does  the  general  judgment 
come  ?  The  Church  teaches  us  that  the  soul  is  in 
Hades,^  the  place  of  the  departed  spirits  (I.  Pet. 
iii.  18,  19)  awaiting  the  resurrection  (Heb.  xi. 
40),  is  conscious  (Rev.  vi.  9),  and  is  growing  in 
grace.  We  pray  for  them ;  they  pray  for  us.  Our 
prayers  mingle  before  the  throne  of  God. 

Prayers  for  the  Dead 

Prayers  for  the  dead  are  scriptural  and  an- 
cient, but  the  corollary,  that  Roman  Purgatory 
must  follow,  is  not  necessary.  The  Jews  had 
prayers  for  the  dead  before  our  Lord  came  to  earth 
(IL  Maccab.  xii.  39-45).  These  prayers  were 
used  in  the  temple  and  synagogues,  and  were  not 
reproved  by  Him.  St.  Paul  prayed  for  Onesiph- 
orus  after  the  death  of  his  friend  (II.  Tim.  i.  16, 
18).  Death  does  not  end  the  work  of  the  soul 
(Ps.  Ixxxiv.  7;  Prov.  iv.  18;  Phil.  i.  16;  I.  Cor. 
i.  8).     It  goes  on  until  the  "perfect  day,"  and  our 

*  Sometimes  translated  hell.  Hell  usually  means  the 
place  of  torment. 


310      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

prayers  now  help  it  along.  All  the  ancient  lit- 
urgies contain  petitions  for  the  faithful  departed. 
In  the  Catacombs,  which  were  the  cemeteries  of 
the  Christians  of  the  first  three  centuries,  inscrip- 
tions abound  with  such  prayers.  A  favorite  form 
is,  ^'Grant  them,  O  Lord,  light  and  refreshment." 
The  abuse  of  the  custom,  before  the  Reformation, 
led  to  the  practice  being  minimized  in  the  Prayer 
Book.  The  principle  still  exists  in  the  Eucharistic 
services,  where  we  pray  that  'Svith  them  (Thy 
servants  departed  this  life  in  faith  and  fear)  we 
may  be  jDartakers  of  Thy  heavenly  kingdom,"  and 
^ 'Grant  that  by  the  merits  and  death  of  Thy  Son 
Jesus  Christ,  and  through  faith  in  His  blood,  we 
and  all  Thy  whole  Church  (militant  and  expect- 
ant) may  obtain  remission  of  our  sins,  and  all 
other  benefits  of  His  Passion."  It  is  sometimes 
asked  what  are  the  benefits  of  prayers  for  the  dead. 
We  cannot  know  all,  but  some  are  evident.  Their 
haj^piness  can  be  increased.  A  place  nearer  God's 
throne  may  be  granted  them  (St.  Matt.  xx.  21). 
We  pray  God  to  hasten  the  time  when  the  number 
of  the  elected  may  be  completed,  so  that  their 
period  of  waiting  may  be  shortened.  It  seems 
heartless  not  to  remember  our  loved  ones  before 
God  at  the  altar.  The  Communion  of  Saints,  and 
the  mutual  intercessions  of  all  parts  of  the  Church, 
Militant  and  Expectant,  require  it.  In  the  tenth 
century,  the  day  after  All  Saints'  (Kov.  2nd) 
gradually  became  the  special  day  in  the  Western 


DEATH  AND  AFTER  311 

Church  when  the  entire  body  of  the  faithful  was 
remembered  at  the  altar.  At  the  Reformation  in 
England  the  custom  fell  into  disuse,  though  not 
entirely  dropped  out  of  the  calendar.  Of  late 
years  it  has  been  revived  in  some  of  the  parishes. 
It  marks  the  distinction  between  those  who  have 
lived  saintly  lives  (commemorated  Xov.  1st)  and 
those  who  died  in  the  faith,  but  full  of  imperfec- 
tions and  human  frailty.  The  latter  day  is  termed 
All  Souls'. 

Purgatory 

x\rticle  XXII.  of  the  Prayer  Book  condemns 
the  ^'Eomish  doctrine  of  Purgatory."  This  doc- 
trine is  that  the  soul  passes  ages  in  a  material  fire 
until  it  can  emerge  fitted  for  heaven.  The  idea  is 
based  upon  I.  Cor.  iii.  5.  It  was  hinted  at  as 
a  possibility  in  the  sixth  century,  and  gradually 
took  form,  until  for  a  time  it  was  universally 
accepted  in  the  AYest.  It  gave  rise  to  the  sale  of 
indulgences,  which  excited  Luther  to  start  the  Ref- 
ormation in  Germany.  It  is  contradicted  by  Rev. 
xiv.  13.  The  dead  in  Christ  are  not  in  pain ;  they 
are  blessed.  A  growth  in  grace  goes  on  in  the  soul 
after  death  (Phil.  i.  6)  that  is  not  painful;  it  is 
a  blessing.  The  soul,  from  contact  with  a  sinful 
world,  is  not  fitted  at  once  to  enter  heaven.  It  is 
purged  of  the  defilement.  The  process  is  not  pain- 
ful; it  is  joyful.  The  soul  is  blessed.  The  place 
where  this  work  goes  on  might  be  called  purgatory, 


312      THE  CHURCKMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

since  the  Prayer  Book  speaks  of  it  as  a  place  of 
purging;  but  the  word  has  been  so  abused,  and  to 
the  popular  mind  conveys  such  an  unscriptural 
idea,  that  it  is  generally  believed  by  Anglicans  to 
be  best  to  omit  it,  and  say  ^^Hades,"  or  the  place  of 
departed  spirits.  Hades  must  not  be  confounded 
with  the  hell  of  torment. 

Invocation  of  Saints 

The  saints  awaiting  the  Resurrection  are  con- 
scious of  how  their  brethren  are  faring  in  the 
world,  and  pray  for  them  (Eev.  vi.  9-11).  Even 
Dives  in  torment  was  concerned  for  his  brethren 
(St.  Luke  xvi.  27,  28).  The  saints  then  pray  for 
us,  and  their  prayers  are  more  efficacious  than 
those  of  our  brethren  on  earth.  But  there  is  not 
a  word  in  Scripture  supporting  the  idea  of  prayers 
to  the  saints.  Take  the  Blessed  Virgin  as  an  ex- 
ample, for  to  her  more  prayers  are  offered  to-day 
than  to  any  other  saint.  Our  Lord  never  prayed 
to  His  mother,  nor  taught  His  disciples  to  do  so. 
The  apostles  never  prayed  to  her,  nor  taught  their 
converts  to  do  so.  There  is  no  instance  of  a  prayer 
to  her  recorded  in  the  Xew  Testament.  We  may 
ask  God  to  hear  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  and  hope 
that  they  are  praying  for  us ;  but  we  dare  not  pray 
to  them.  In  those  ancient  Catacombs,  referred  to 
above,  we  find  inscriptions  like  this :  ''May est  thou 
live  in  peace  and  pray  for  us."  The  regular  formal 
act  of  praying  to  them  savors  somewhat  of  idolatry. 


DEATH  AND  AFTER  313 

The  practice  grew  gradually  in  the  Church.  At 
the  first  we  find  apostrophes  in  orations.  In  the 
Litany,  about  the  8th  century,  appears  a  list  of 
saintly  names,  for  invocation.  This  would  seem 
to  imply  ubiquity,  a  divine  attribute.  The  Kef- 
ormation  purged  the  Prayer  Book  of  the  practice. 
Many  Churchmen,  however,  in  company  with 
Christians  of  very  early  ages,  hold  that  in  private 
devotions  it  is  helpful  to  ask  God  for  the  prayers 
of  the  saints. 

Hell 

Hell  is  the  place  of  eternal  punishment,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels  (St.  Matt.  xxv. 
41),  to  which  the  wicked  will  be  consigned  (Eev. 
XX.  14,  15).  It  is  erroneous  to  suppose  that  as  God 
is  so  merciful  none  will  be  condemned  to  its  tor- 
ments. God  is  also  just.  Men  who  persistently 
hate  God  (St.  John  xv.  24)  will  not  and  cannot 
enjoy  God's  presence.  They  condemn  themselves ; 
God's  wrath  finds  expression  in  the  impenitent 
holding  himself  aloof  from,  or  being  deprived  of, 
the  presence  of  God.  That  means  a  fierce,  fiery 
drought,  which  burns  the  soul,  as  the  absence  of 
rain  burns  vegetation.  It  has  been  disputed 
whether  hell  is  a  place.  It  is  not  worth  disputing. 
Hell  is  at  least  the  condition  of  the  wilfully  im- 
penitent. The  strong  language  used  in  Revelation, 
describing  it  as  a  place  of  fire  and  brimstone,  no 


314      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

doubt  is  figurative.     The  intention  is  to  impress 
us  with  its  reality  and  awfulness. 

Heaven 

Heaven  is  the  opposite  of  hell,  where  angels 
and  saints  live  in  God's  presence  in  unending  hap- 
piness. There  thev  see  the  King  in  His  beauty 
(Isa.  xxxiii.  17).  The  description  in  the  book  of 
Revelation  is  figurative,  but  it  is  intended  to  show 
that  "eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have 
entered  into  the  heart  of  man,  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Him"  (I. 
Cor.  ii.  9).  It  is  sometimes  asked.  Will  we  know 
each  other  in  heaven?  There  seem  to  be  indica- 
tions that  we  will.  Dives  knew  Lazarus.  There 
was  recognition  at  the  Transfiguration.  This  does 
not  necessarily  involve  missing  those  we  loved 
while  on  earth,  whose  conduct  dooms  them  to  evil 
reward.  Knowledge  of  such  loss  would  cause  pain, 
and  "there  is  no  sorrow  there"  (Rev.  xxi.  4). 

The  Millennium 

The  twentieth  chapter  of  Revelation  suggests 
some  topics  which  have  been  fruitful  sources  of 
discussion.  They  principally  gather  around  the 
Millennium.  Without  answering  all  the  questions 
which  arise,  the  following  will  help  to  clear  away 
some  difficulties.  The  Bible  says  the  second  com- 
ing of  Christ  is  known  to  none,  not  to  the  angels, 
nor  even  to  the  Son  (St.  Mark  xiii.  32).    For  any 


DEATH  AND  AFTER  315 

one  to  predict  it  is  presumption.  All  who  have 
attempted  it  have  failed.  There  are  certain  signs 
to  attend  it.  We  may  point  them  out.  We  may 
say  His  coming  may  be  near,  and  that  is  all  we 
dare  assume.  The  reign  of  Christ  for  one  thou- 
sand years  is  to  precede  that  coming.  What  is  it  ? 
The  term  one  thousand  years  is  often  used  in  the 
Bible  for  a  long  period  of  time.  The  Church  is  the 
kingdom  where  He  reigns  with  His  saints.  That 
is  being  extended,  and  thus  more  and  more  is  Satan 
being  bound.  Those  who  in  this  kingdom  die  to 
sin,  and  rise  unto  righteousness,  have  experienced 
the  first  Resurrection,  and  will  be  blessed  in  the 
second,  that  is,  at  the  general  Resurrection  at  the 
last  day.  It  is  better  possibly  to  leave  all  such 
questions  alone,  and  to  do  our  duty  in  faith  and 
love. 

For  further  reading  on  the  Future  Life  read 
Gwynne's  Some  Purposes  of  Paradise  (The  Young 
Churchman  Co.,  75  cts.). 


CHAPTER  XXV 

SOME  THEOLOGICAL  TERMS  AND 
CONTROVERSIES 

THE  disputes  in  the  Churcli  during  the  earlier 
centuries  general^  ranged  around  the  person 
of  our  Lord,  as  to  His  divinity  and  early  man- 
hood. This  settled  finally  (see  page  S9 ff,),  other 
subjects  of  disputes  arose  and  harassed  the  Church. 

Pelagianism 

About  A.  D.  450,  Pelagius,  or  Morgan,  a 
native  Christian  of  Wales,  and  a  monk,  came  to 
Rome  denying  that  human  nature  is  inclined  to 
evil,  or  that  man  needs  the  assistance  of  divine 
grace  in  performing  good  works.  He  denied  origi- 
nal sin.  He  said  that  man  can  by  his  own  free  will 
choose  what  is  good,  as  well  as  what  is  evil ;  that  by 
his  own  efforts  he  can  obtain  everlasting  salvation ; 
that  God's  predestination  of  man's  future  state  is 
founded  on  God's  foreknowledge  of  man's  life  and 
acts.  Councils  condemned  all  these  propositions. 
The  Church  leaders  against  them  were  Jerome  and 
Augustine.     The  position  taken  by  the  latter  was 


SOME  THEOLOGICAL  TERMS  317 

expanded,  stiffened  and  developed  in  the  16th  cen- 
tury bv  Calvin. 

Calvinism 

Calvinism  is  a  very  complex  system,  and  has 
been  adopted  by  certain  reformed  bodies  in  Europe, 
by  the  Presbyterians  of  Scotland,  and  those  in 
America  holding  to  the  Westminster  confession 
(1643).  Predestination  and  irresistible  grace  are 
its  keynotes.  It  dragged  into  controversy  such 
terms  as  election,  divine  grace,  free  will,  and  the 
like.  It  teaches  that  God  from  all  eternity  pre- 
destined a  certain  fixed  number  of  individuals, 
irrespective  of  anything  in  them,  to  final  salvation. 
All  others  are  either  predestined  to  damnation, 
or  left  out  of  God's  decree.  It  holds  to  particular 
redemption,  that  Christ  died  for  a  chosen  few,  and 
the  final  perseverance  of  the  saints. 

Arminianism 

At  the  opening  of  the  iTth  century,  a  Hollander 
named  Arminius  revolted  from  the  Calvinism  in 
which  he  had  been  trained.  His  doctrine,  or  sub- 
stitute for  the  old  system,  was  condemned  by  the 
Synod  of  Dort  (1618-1619).  As  a  distinct  body, 
the  Arminians  have  diminished  to  a  handful.  But 
their  tenets  are  held  by  the  Methodists  and  many 
Baptists.  They  prevail  in  the  Church  of  Rome, 
and  largely  in  the  Anglican  Communion.  The 
remonstrance  presented  in  1610  to  the  states  of 
Holland,  against  Calvinism,  contained  these  propo- 


318       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

sitions:  1.  God  indeed  made  an  eternal  decree, 
but  only  on  conditional  terms.  2.  Christ  died  for 
all  men,  but  none  except  believers  were  saved.  3. 
No  man  is  of  himself  able  to  experience  a  saving 
faith,  but  must  be  born  again.  4.  Without  the 
grace  of  God,  men  can  neither  think,  will,  nor 
do  anything  good,  yet  this  grace  is  not  irresistible. 
5.  Believers  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  can 
victoriously  resist  sin,  and  there  is  a  possibility  of 
falling  from  grace. 

Predestination 

Predestination  cannot  well  be  considered  apart 
from  election.  God  'Svorketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  His  own  will."  He  does  nothing  in 
time  opposed  to  His  purpose  '^in  Himself"  in 
eternity,  which  is  to  ^^gather  together  in  one  all 
things  in  Christ"  (Eph.  i.  9-11).  Predestination 
does  not  mean  that  some  souls  are  foreordained  to 
eternal  life,  and  others  to  eternal  death.  God  'Svill 
have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  unto  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth"  (I.  Tim.  ii.  4),  and  is  ''not  will- 
ing that  any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come 
to  repentance"  (II.  Peter  iii.  9).  Therefore 
if  any  one  is  lost,  it  is  his  own  fault.  Predestina- 
tion to  some  extent  corresponds  to  Providence  in 
the  spiritual  kingdom  of  nature.  An  egg  is  pre- 
destined to  hatch  a  chicken.  If  it  fails,  it  misses 
its  predestined  end.  So  the  soul  is  predestined  to 
a  life  of  grace  and  obedience  here,  which  leads  to 


SOME  THEOLOGICAL  TERMS  319 

a  life  of  glory  hereafter.  If  the  laws  which  regu- 
late hatching  are  observed,  the  chicken  appears. 
If  the  soul  obeys  God,  it  will  come  to  eternal  life. 
God  calls  and  elects,  we  must  make  ^^our  calling 
and  election  sure"  (II.  Peter  i.  10).  God 
predestinates  us  to  be  ''conformed  to  the  image  of 
His  Son"  (Eom.  viii.  29),  but  not  against  our  will. 
Hence  it  is  said  we  are  "elect  according  to  the  fore- 
knowledge of  God  the  Father,  through  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Spirit  unto  obedience,  and  sprinkling  of 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ"  (I.  Peter  i.  2). 

The  Free  Will 

The  free  will  of  a  Christian  cannot  well  be  con- 
sidered independently  of  God's  grace.  It  is  the 
gift  to  man  by  which  he  is  able  to  choose  good  or 
evil.  It  raises  him  above  all  creatures,  making 
him  a  moral  agent.  By  the  fall  of  Adam,  the 
faculties  of  the  soul  became  deranged,  conscience 
confused  and  silenced,  reason  obscured,  the  affec- 
tions perverted,  and  the  will  weakened.  To  correct 
these,  God  bestows  His  grace.  He  enlightens  the 
mind,  cleanses  the  heart,  and  strengthens  the  will. 
''By  grace  ye  are  saved  through  faith,  and  that  not 
of  yourselves;  it  is  the  gift  of  God"  (Eph.  ii.  8). 
We  can  resist  this  grace,  hence  we  must  cooperate 
with  it.  "Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear 
and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  which  w^orketh  in  you, 
both  to  Avill  and  to  do  of  His  good  pleasure"  (Phil, 
ii.  12,  13). 


320      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

Regeneration  and   Conversion 

Kegeueration  and  conversion  are  two  terms 
often  confounded.  In  Scripture  they  are  kept 
distinct.  Regeneration  is  ^'being  born  of  water 
and  of  the  Spirit"  (St.  John  iii.  5).  It  is  the  act 
of  God  in  Baptism,  by  which  the  soul  passes  into 
the  supernatural  order  of  divine  grace.  It  is  the 
seed  planted  in  the  soul,  intended  to  grow  and  bear 
fruit.  St.  Paul  says,  "According  to  His  (God's) 
mercy,  He  saved  us  by  the  washing  of  regeneration, 
and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit"  (Tit.  iii.  5). 
Conversion  is  the  conscious  turning  of  the  w^ill  to 
God.  It  may  be  sudden,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
jailor  at  Philippi  (iicts  xvi.  30).  It  must  be 
repeated  often.  Every  time  the  soul  sins,  it  needs 
turning  to  God.  Regeneration  confers  grace;  con- 
version manifests  the  power  and  working  of  that 
gTace.  Regeneration  is  passive  and  is  wholly  of 
God;  conversion  is  active,  our  use  of  what  God 
gives  us.  Regeneration  places  us  in  a  position  to 
be  saved,  savable;  conversion  is  our  acceptance  of 
salvation,  being  saved.  Regeneration  is  given  by 
an  outward  sign ;  conversion  is  the  inward  reality, 
the  sign  exemplified  in  our  lives. 

Justification  and  Sanctification 

Justification  is  the  act  of  God  whereby  He 
cleanses  the  soul,  and  endows  it  with  righteousness 
by  uniting  it  to  Christ.  It  is  the  work  of  God 
(Rom.  viii.  33).     The  death  of  Christ  is  the  mer- 


SOME  THEOLOGICAL  TERMS  321 

itorious  cause ;  the  act  of  the  Holy  Spirit  the  effica- 
cious cause ;  and  the  sacraments  the  instruments  of 
justification;  faith,  the  means  bj  which  the  soul 
submits  to  God's  act.  Sanctification  is  the  conse- 
cration of  redeemed  man,  with  all  his  faculties, 
soul  and  body,  to  the  service  of  God.  '^Whom  He 
justified,  them  He  also  glorified"  (Kom.  viii.  30). 
It  also  is  an  act  of  faith  (Acts  xxvi.  18;  xv.  9). 
We  are  not  sinless,  for  ''if  we  say  we  have  no  sin, 
we  deceive  ourselves''  (St.  John  i.  9),  but,  when 
sanctified,  Ave  commit  no  wilful  sin.  We  sin,  not 
deliberately,  but  from  the  infirmity  of  the  flesh. 

Faith  and  Works 

Faith  and  works  are  like  two  oars  to  a  boat. 
We  need  both  in  order  to  come  to  the  haven  where 
Ave  Avould  be.  To  haA-e  only  faith  is  antinomianism, 
and  the  Gospel  Avould  not  affect  men's  lives  (Rom. 
iii.  8 ;  vi.  1).  To  have  only  works,  is  to  try  to  save 
ourselves  (Eph.  ii.  9).  Faith  produces  AA^orks. 
Works  exemplify  faith.  St.  Paul  in  his  epistles 
speaks  of  a  faith  Avhich,  taking  possession  of  the 
soul,  transforms  it.  St.  James,  in  his  epistle, 
objects  to  a  mere  verbal  faith,  dead  unto  good 
Avorks. 

Perseverance  of  the  Saints 

The  Calvinists  teach  that  Avhom  God  predestin- 
ates Avill  finally  be  saved.  But  men  fall  from 
grace,  and  are  restored  to  grace.  Some  continue, 
some  give  up  the  &ght    Perseverance  is  a  tAvofold 


322      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

work.  God  perfects  the  good  work  begun  in  us 
(Phil.  i.  6),  and  man  continues  in  the  state  of  sal- 
vation into  which  Baptism  introduces  him.  The 
saying,  '^once  in  grace,  always  in  grace,"  is  not 
necessarily  true,  for  grace  may  be  received  in  vain, 
and  even  resisted  (II.  Cor.  vi.  1).  It  is  dangerous, 
then,  to  trust  to  a  feeling  of  assurance.  Satan 
tempts  us  that  way.  The  apostle  warns  us,  ^'Let 
him  that  thinketh  he  standeth  take  heed  lest  he 
fall"  (I.  Cor.  X.  12).  The  humble  ^Svork  out  their 
own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling"  (Phil.  ii. 
12),  ^^perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God"  (II. 
Cor.  vii.  1).  A  few  may,  after  years  of  struggling 
and  service,  say  with  St.  Paul,  '^I  have  fought  a 
good  fight,  I  have  finished  my  course,  I  have  kept 
the  faith;  henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a 
crown  of  righteousness  which  the  Lord,  the  right- 
eous Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day"  (II.  Tim. 
iv.  7,  18).  A  few  may  receive  a  more  special  gift 
of  perseverance.  "They  shall  never  perish,  neither 
shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  My  hand"  (St. 
John  X.  28).  To  all  others  it  is  true,  "He  that 
endureth  to  the  end  shall  be  saved"  (St.  Matt.  x. 
22). 


CHAPTEE  XXVI 

THE  DIVISIONS  OF  CHRISTENDOM 

THE  multiplicity  of  forms  of  divided  Christen- 
dom is  the  gTeatest  weapon  of  infidelity,  at 
home  and  among  the  heathen.  The  prayer  of 
Christ  for  unity,  the  exhortation  to  it  by  His  apos- 
tles, are  disregarded.  Envy,  pique,  ambition,  self- 
will,  or  ignorance,  have  been  the  instruments  in  the 
hand  of  Satan  to  work  mischief.  Men  like  Dio- 
trephes  (III.  John  9)  have  desired  preeminence, 
or  like  Hymenaeus  and  Alexander,  made  ship- 
wreck of  faith  (I.  Tim.  i.  19,  20).  They  have  set 
up  their  opinions  against  the  wisdom  of  many,  and 
thus  new  sects  have  risen.  In  the  earlier  ages  of 
the  Church  these  had  a  beginning,  a  period  of 
flourishing,  and  then  a  gradual  dying  out.  This 
will  probably  be  true  of  the  divisions  existing  to- 
day. Quakerism  is  an  example.  Romanism  in 
Europe  is  on  the  decline,  many  of  its  adherents  are 
filled  with  a  desire  to  return  to  true  Catholicity. 
The  various  parts  of  Protestantism,  like  a  house 
divided  against  itself,  are  showing  signs  of  totter- 
ing, and  beginning  to  seek  strength  in  union. 

Schism 

Schism  is  separation  from  the  Church.   Heresy 
is  teaching  false  doctrine.     Both  are  sinful,  hence 


324      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

we  pray  in  the  Litany,  'Trom  all  false  doctrine, 
heresy,  and  schism,  good  Lord,  deliver  us."  We 
are  not  concerned  with  the  question  as  to  how  re- 
sponsible God  will  hold  those  in  schism.  Many  of 
them  think  that  they  are  doing  Him  service.  We 
should  avoid  the  sin,  because  we  know  what  it  is, 
how  it  displeases  God,  and  in  the  Church  we  can 
honor  Him  the  most.  At  first,  when  dissensions 
occurred,  the  parties  remained  in  the  Church,  as 
the  Grecians  did  who  murmured  at  the  neglect  to 
their  widows,  and  those  who  in  Corinth  said,  "I 
am  of  Paul,  and  I  of  Apollos."  The  wheat  and  the 
tares  in  minor  matters  of  belief  and  unbelief  were 
allowed  to  gTOw  together.  The  first  heretic  was  un- 
doubtedly Simon  Magus.  Tradition  exhibits  his 
after  career,  just  as  it  was  in  Samaria,  giving  out 
that  ^^himself  was  some  gTeat  one."  A  heretic  is 
one  who  denies  the  faith,  a  schismatic  is  one  who  is 
separated  from  the  Church.  But,  once  removed 
from  the  grace  and  restraining  influence  of  the 
Church,  schismatics  soon  begin  to  deny  more  or  less 

of  the  faith. 

The  Earliest  Heresies 

All  of  these  erred  concerning  the  attributes  of 
our  Lord.  One  is  mentioned  in  the  Kevelation  as 
the  Xicolaitanes  (Rev.  ii.  15),  of  whom  little  is 
kno^\ai.  The  Corinthians  represented  Christ  as 
having  been  born  naturally,  having  had  an  earthly 
father,  and  received  a  divine  addition  at  His  Bap- 
tism, and  lost  it  at  His  crucifixion.     This  was  a 


THE   DIVISIONS   OF   CHRISTENDOM  325 

plain  denial  of  the  Incarnation.  To  contradict  it, 
St.  John  wrote  his  Gospel  and  Epistle.  The 
Docetae  {docein,  to  seem)  said  our  Lord's  human 
body  was  only  a  phantom  (I.  John  iv.  3).  The 
most  troublesome  of  all  these  sects  were  the  Gnos- 
tics {gnostiltos,  good  at  knowing).  They  tried  to 
mix  human  speculation,  Eastern  superstitions,  and 
divine  revelation  (Col.  ii.  8;  I.  Tim.  i.  14;  vi.  20). 
They  looked  upon  our  Lord  as  a  created  agent  of 
the  Father.  Manicheism  was  a  development  in 
the  third  century  from  the  Gnostics.  It  took  its 
name  from  a  slave,  lEanes,  an  educated  man,  who 
claimed  to  be  the  ^'Comforter."  He  sent  forth  a 
new  set  of  twelve  apostles  and  seventy  disciples. 
Mahomet anism  is  a  bastard  form  of  a  Christian 
sect.  It  believes  Christ  was  a  prophet.  Its 
founder  learnt  some  Bible  truths  from  a  heretical 
monk.  These  Mahomet  mixed  with  Arabian  sup- 
erstition, and  gave  to  the  world  the  Koran  in  imi- 
tation of  the  inspired  Scriptures.  Arianism  has 
been  mentioned  (page  95).  Before  the  time  of 
Arius,  another  heresy  confounded  the  Persons  of 
the  Trinity,  saying  that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  were  only  different  modes  of  action.  Hence 
they  were  called  Patripassians  (the  Father  suf- 
fered) because  they  said  the  Father  and  Son  were 
the  same  Persons.  It  flourished  for  awhile  under 
Paul  of  Samosata,  Bishop  of  Antioch,  who  was  con- 
nected with  the  famous  Zenobia,  queen  of  the  east 
(3rd  century).     It  at  length  dwindled  away,  when 


326      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

she   was   led    captive   to   Rome   bj   the   Emperor 

Aurelian. 

The   Roman  Catholics 

The  Romanists  of  England  separated  from  the 
English  Catholic  Church  in  1570,  after  living 
from  the  earliest  Christian  centuries  in  unity  with 
the  ^N'ational  Church.  In  this  country  they  form 
a  foreign  Church,  kept  up  almost  entirely  by  for- 
eign immigration,  and  their  clergy  are  nearly  all 
of  foreign  extraction.  They  base  their  rights  to 
invade  any  country,  not  in  communion  with  the 
Bishop  of  Rome,  on  the  ground  of  papal  suprem- 
acy. This  has  been  examined  in  the  chapter  on 
the  history  of  the  Church  (page  101).  The  ulti- 
mate issue  of  that  supremacy  is  papal  infallibility 
Avhen  speaking  ex  cathedra.  Was  St.  Peter  in- 
fallible— the  only  apostle  who  denied  our  Lord — 
whom  St.  Paul  withstood  to  the  face  because  he 
was  wrong  (Gal.  ii.  11)  ?  Liberius  subscribed  to 
an  Arian  creed.  Zosimus  countenanced  Pelagian- 
ism.  Vigilius  vacillated  concerning  certain  phases 
of  the  Incarnation.  Honorius  was  anathematized 
by  an  oecumenical  council.  Popes  have  contra- 
dicted and  anathematized  other  Popes.  They  have 
committed  every  immorality,  perpetrated  every 
crime,  and  taught  nearly  every  heresy.  We  must 
ignore  history  to  accept  such  a  dogma,  or  believe 
that  God  has  made  the  indefectibility  of  the 
Church  depend  upon  one  man,  and  that  one  man 
often  vicious,  impious,  and  disgraceful. 


THE   DIVISIONS   OF   CHRISTENDOM  327 

Protestantism 

Protestantism,  in  aiming  after  the  spirit  of 
Christ,  though  in  a  large  measure  neglecting  the 
forms  in  which  He  is  pleased  to  convey  it,  is  health- 
ier in  morality  and  spirituality.  Its  zeal  is  not 
always  with  discretion,  but  its  purpose  is  indisput- 
ably uplifting.  The  question  of  the  ministry,  Pres- 
byterianism  and  Congregationalism,  has  been  con- 
sidered (page  182).  For  the  errors  of  the  Bap- 
tists, both  as  to  the  mode  and  subjects,  see  pages 
206-209,  and  for  the  position  of  the  Methodists, 
pages  129,  188.  All  of  these  have  abandoned  his- 
torical continuity  with  the  apostolic  body  of  the 
first  century,  and  have  lost  the  fuller  idea  of  Avor- 
ship,  together  with  the  value  and  constant  use  of 
the  sacraments. 

The  Quakers  and  Salvation  Army 

The  Quakers  and  Salvation  Army  dispense 
with  sacraments,  and  of  course  are  unscriptural, 
for  the  first  Christians  were  baptized,  and  con- 
tinued steadfastly  in  breaking  bread.  The  Salva- 
tion Army  has  a  military  organization  as  dissimilar 
from  the  apostolic  Church  as  it  could  possibly  be 
made. 

That  these  divisions  of  Christ's  Body  may  be 
healed,  all  should  pray  for  unity.  The  Prayer 
Book  recommends  this  collect: 

''O  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
our  only  Saviour,  the  Prince  of  Peace;  Give  us 


328      THE  CHURCH]\iAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


grace  seriously  to  lay  to  heart  the  great  clangers  we 
are  in  by  our  unhappy  divisions.  Take  away  all 
hatred  and  prejudice  and  whatsoever  else  may  hin- 
der us  from  godly  union  and  concord ;  that  as  there 
is  but  one  Body  and  one  Spirit,  and  one  hope  of 
our  calling,  one  Lord,  one  Faith,  one  Baptism,  one 
God  and  Father  of  us  all,  so  we  may  be  all  of  one 
heart  and  of  one  soul,  united  in  one  holy  bond  of 
truth  and  peace,  of  faith  and  charity,  and  may 
with  one  mind  and  mouth  glorify  Thee;  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen/' 

A  Table  of  Some  of  the  Religious  Societies 


NAME   OF    SOCIETY, 


The  Holy  Catholic  Church 
(extending  throughout 
the  world,  to  which  the 
Church  of  England  and 
the  Episcopal  Church 
belong). 

English  Romanists  (ar- 
rogating to  themselves 
the  name  Catholic,  sep- 
arated from  the  Church 
of  England). 

Presbyterians. 

Reformed. 

Lutherans. 
Baptists. 


Congregationalist. 


Friends  or  Quakers. 

Moravians. 

New  Jerusalem. 

Methodist. 

Mormons. 

Salvation  Army. 


WHEN 
FORMED. 


33 


1.j70 

16th  century. 

1523 

1.529 
1633 


1639 
1568 


1648 
1727 
1783 
1766 
1830 
1880 


BY    WHOM    FOUNDED. 


Jesus  Christ. 


Pius  V. 

r  Calvin   in   Geneva. 

■{  Jno.  Knox  in  Scot- 
l      land. 

Ulrich  Zwingel  in  Ger- 
many. 

Martin    Luther. 

Mr.  Spilsbury  in  Eng- 
land. 

Roger  W  i  1 1  i  a  ms  in 
America. 

Robert  Browne  (who 
afterward  confessed 
his  error  and  re- 
turned  to  the 
Church). 

Geo.  Fox. 

Count  Zuyendorf. 

Emanuel  Swedenhorg. 

John  Wesley. 

Joseph  Smith. 

Booth. 


THE   DIVISIONS   OF   CHRISTENDOM  329 

These  various  societies  are  split  up  into  a  dozen 
or  more  sects,  none  of  them  having  proper  regard 
for  the  unity  of  the  Body  of  Christ.  Thus  there 
are  some  fifteen  or  twenty  Presbyterians,  Method- 
ists, Congregational,  and  Baptist  bodies. 

The  American  Church  now  seeks  to  prepare 
for  a  conference  of  all  the  Christian  world  on  the 
Faith  and  Order  of  the  Church,  so  that  the  sep- 
arated bodies  may  understand  the  position  of  each 
and  the  attempt  be  made  to  harmonize  them,  where 
possible. 

On  the  Eoman  controversy  read  Brinckman's 
Notes  on  the  Papal  Claims,  or  Littledale's  Plain 
Reasons  Against  Joining  the  Church  of  Rome, 
small,  strong,  and  unanswerable.  Little's  Reasons 
for  Being  a  Churchman  is  excellent  on  the  gen- 
eral subject. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

SOME  MODERN  SUBSTITUTES  FOR  CHRISTIANITY 

THE  nineteenth  century  was  prolific  with  sub- 
stitutes for  Christianity.  Some  of  them  have 
been,  and  are,  flourishing,  but  all  of  them  are  un- 
like the  Apostolic  Church.  Many  of  them  pretend 
to  have  revelations  of  their  owa.  How  Christians 
with  Bibles  in  their  hands  can  be  deceived  cannot 
be  understood.  St.  Paul  says,  '^ There  must  be 
heresies  among  you,  that  they  which  are  approved 
may  be  made  manifest  among  you"  (I.  Cor.  xi. 
19).     Only  some  of  these  'isms  need  be  examined. 

Spiritualism 

Spiritualism,  with  its  seances  and  rappings 
and  slate  writings,  has  been  exposed  as  a  fraud  by 
scientific  investigators,  and  by  the  confessions  of 
its  founders,  the  Fox  sisters.  It  is  a  clap-trap  to 
inveigle  money  from  the  deluded,  and  is  based 
upon  a  fact  denied  by  none,  that  there  is  a  spirit- 
ual world.  It  is  forbidden  in  Lev.  xix.  31.  But 
even  if  there  be  (as  some  believe)  any  real  inter- 
course with  spirits  in  this  cult,  it  is  an  intercourse 
that  is  full  of  danger  and  is  forbidden  to  Chris- 


SUBSTITUTES  FOR  CHRISTIANITY  331 

tians.  The  true  communion  of  saints  is  to  be 
found  in  the  Church,  in  prayer  for  them  and  in 
the  Holy  Communion. 

Christian  Science 

Christian  Science  was  propounded  by  a  Mrs. 
Eddy  some  forty-five  years  ago.  Her  system  is  set 
forth  in  her  book,  which  mingles  science,  meta- 
physics, and  the  Bible  in  a  strange  jumble.  She 
tells  us  matter  is  unreal.  Everything  is  mind. 
Our  bodies  are  dreams.  We  have  no  sicknesses, 
only  think  we  have,  and  are  cured  by  believing  our- 
selves well.  Sin  is  all  a  mistake.  There  is  no  such 
thing.  It  is  cured  in  the  same  way  as  disease.  Is 
it  worth  while  to  dispose  of  such  propositions  by 
reason  or  the  Bible  ?    The  opposite  of  this  fallacy  is 

Agnosticism 

Agnosticism  is  treated  elsewhere  (pages  3-4). 

It  makes  everything  depend  on  matter  and  our 

senses,  and  knows  nothing  of  the  Spirit.    Its  creed 

has  been  summed  up  by  one  who  puts  this  prayer 

in  the  mouth  of  an  adherent:  ^^O  God,  if  there  is 

a  God,  have  mercy  on  my  soul,  if  I  have  a  soul.'^ 

But  more  often  the  agnostic  neither  has  a  creed 

nor  a  prayer. 

Theosophy 

Theosophy  was  invented  by  a  Madame  Blavat- 
sky,  a  rather  erratic  character.  ^Yhen  sixteen 
years  old  she  married  a  man  of  seventy,  and  in  a 


332       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

few  months  siiddenlj  left  liim.  The  next  nine 
years  of  her  life  are  shrouded  in  mystery.  Then 
she  became  a  spiritualist.  Afterward  she  adopted 
some  of  the  ideas  of  India  and  the  East.  Claim- 
ing control  over  the  occult  forces  of  nature,  she 
launched  forth  as  a  prophetess.  She  taught  the 
reincarnation  of  man,  the  migration  of  souls.  As 
an  illustration  of  its  absurdity,  a  courtship  begun 
many  thousand  years  ago  ended  in  marriage  in 
the  nineteenth  century.  A  refined  gentlewoman 
may  reappear  on  earth  as  a  burly  ruffian,  and  a 
pugilist  as  a  weak,  timid  woman.  These  reincar- 
nations go  on  indefinitely,  until  they  end  in  what 
the  Eastern  mind  calls  Nirvana.  We  would  call 
it  annihilation. 

Read  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Barrington's  Anti-Chris- 
tian Cults,  and  the  Rev.  Dr.  Jewell's  The  Claims 
of  Christian  Science, 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

THE  CHURCH    FATHERS  AND  WRITERS 

FREQUEXT  reference  has  been  made  to  the 
early  writers  in  the  Church,  and  a  few  quota- 
tions have  been  given  from  them.  Their  testimony 
is  very  important,  living  so  close  to  the  days  of  the 
apostles,  acquainted  with  the  teachings  and  prac- 
tices of  the  Church  before  it  was  corrupted. 
Through  them  we  learn  what  Scriptures  the 
Church  regarded  as  canonical,  and  hence  are  reli- 
able witnesses  to  other  questions.  They  may  be 
divided  into  three  classes — Sub-Apostolic,  Ante- 
Xicene,  and  Post-Xicene. 

The  Sub-Apostolic  Fathers 

The  Sub-Apostolic  Fathers  are  five;  three  of 
them  are  mentioned  in  Scripture.  The  first  is  St, 
Barnabas,  who  is  said  to  have  written  one  Epistle, 
largely  allegorical,  but  usually  regarded  as  spuri- 
ous. St,  Clement  (Phil.  iv.  3)  was  Bishop  of 
Pome  within  sixty  years  of  our  Lord's  Ascension, 
and  during  the  lifetime  of  St.  John.  He  wrote 
two  epistles  to  the  Church  in  Corinth.  The  first  is 
preserved,  and  only  a  fragment  of  the  second.    The 


334     THE   CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

first  was  so  much  esteemed  that  it  was  publicly 
read  in  the  churches,  together  Avith  the  apostolic 
Epistles,  Her  mas  is  mentioned  in  Romans  xvi. 
14.  This  book  is  called  the  'Tastor."  It  is  a 
beautiful  allegory,  and  has  been  called  the  primi- 
tive Christian's  FilgrUns  Progress.  St.  Ignatius 
(A.  D.  115)  is  said  to  have  been  the  little  child 
our  Lord  took  in  His  arms  and  set  before  His  dis- 
ciples (St.  Msitt.  xviii.  2),  so  he  is  called  Theoph- 
orus,  one  carried  by  God.  He  was  made  Bishop 
of  Antioch,  and  wrote  several  epistles,  all  of  which 
strongly  set  forth  the  threefold  character  of  the 
ministry,  and  the  duty  of  obeying  the  Bishop.  He 
Avas  cast  to  the  wild  beasts  in  the  amphitheatre  at 
Eome.  St.  Polycarp,  like  St.  Ignatius,  was  a  dis- 
ciple of  St.  John,  and  was  most  probably  the  angel 
of  the  Church  of  Smyrna,  addressed  in  the  Book 
of  Revelations.    He  was  burnt  at  the  stake. 

The  Ante-Nicene  Fathers 

Justin  Martyr  (A.  D.  160)  was  converted  to 
Christianity  when  about  thirty  years  old.  He  was 
learned  in  all  the  heathen  philosophies,  and  became 
a  defender  of  his  new  adopted  religion.  Several 
books  were  written  by  him,  called  Apologies,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Roman  emperors,  hoping  they  might 
be  induced  to  end  the  persecutions  of  the  Church. 
In  his  books  we  have  accounts  of  the  creed  and 
liturgy,  which  he  says  were  handed  doAvn  from  the 
fathers  before  him.     He  was  martvred  A.  D.  164. 


THE   CHURCH  FATHERS  AND  WRITERS       335 

St,  Irenaeus  was  a  disciple  of  St.  Polycarp,  who 
Avas  a  disciple  of  St.  John  the  Divine.  He  says  he 
heard  Polycarp  give  "^an  account  of  his  familiar 
intercourse  with  the  Apostle  St.  John,  and  the  sur- 
vivors of  those  who  had  seen  the  Lord,  and  his 
rehearsals  of  their  sayings,  and  their  accounts  of 
the  miracles  and  discourses  of  our  Lord."  He 
wrote  a  book  on  the  heresies  of  his  day,  and  quotes 
the  works  written  before  his  time.  As  these  were 
lost,  his  quotations  make  his  book  very  valuable. 
He  was  Bishop  of  lij^ons,  France,  and  was  called 
'^^the  light  of  the  Western  Church."  A  martyr's 
croAATi  was  won  about  A.  D.  202. 

St.  Clement  of  Alexandria  flourished  about 
A.  D.  216.  He  was  the  most  learned  philosopher 
of  the  early  Church  and  was  head  of  the  catechet- 
ical school  established  in  Egypt.  Among  his 
many  works  was  one  exhorting  the  heathen  to 
abandon  idolatry.  Another  was  a  treatise  on  Chris- 
tian ethics.  He  was  also  one  of  the  early  hymn 
writers,  one  of  his  hymns  being  preserved  to  the 
jDresent  day  (Hymnal,  Xo.  446,  ^^Shepherd  of  ten- 
der youth"). 

TertuUian  (A.  D.  200)  was  the  first  of  the 
Latin  fathers  whose  writings  have  come  down  to 
us.  He  wrote  many  works  in  defense  and  explana- 
tion of  Christianity.  These  are  very  valuable. 
His  later  writings  must  be  received  with  caution, 
as  he  became  a  Montanist.  This  man  Montanus, 
among  other  heretical  notions  which  he  held,  gave 


336       THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

out  that  he  was  the  Paraclete  (Comforter)  prom- 
ised by  our  Lord. 

Origen  (A.  D.  230)  was  a  pupil  at  the  Alex- 
andrian catechetical  school  under  Clement,  already 
mentioned.  He  was  afterwards  the  head  of  that 
school.  He  was  a  great  commentator  and  student 
of  Holy  Scripture  in  various  languages.  We  owe 
much  to  him  for  fixing  the  text  of  the  versions  then 
extant.  He  suffered  for  Christ  by  persecution, 
but  died  a  natural  death. 

St.  Cyprian  (A.  D.  250)  was  a  lawyer,  and 
had  attained  success  in  his  profession  before  he  be- 
came Bishop  of  Carthage,  his  native  city.  In  time 
of  persecution  he  was  first  exiled,  then  beheaded. 
When  converted,  he  literally  obeyed  the  injunction 
to  sell  all  that  he  had  and  give  to  the  poor.  His 
writings  are  valuable  for  two  reasons ;  one  because 
he  dwelt  so  strongly  on  the  necessity  of  maintain- 
ing the  unity  of  the  Church  and  the  equality  of  all 
Bishops.  Another  reason  is,  that  his  controversy 
with  the  Bishop  of  Rome  shows  how  little  the  early 
Church  knew  of  papal  supremacy  and  infallibility. 

Post-Nicene  Writers 

Eusehius  was  the  father  of  Church  history. 
He  became  Bishop  of  Csesarea  before  the  gi-eat 
Council  met  at  Xice,  and  was  a  member  of  it.  In 
his  history,  he  preserves  many  valuable  traditions, 
both  of  our  Lord's  life  and  of  the  apostles.  As  he 
also  quotes  largely  from  other  authors,  whose  works 


THE  CHURCH  FATHERS  AND  WRITERS       337 

are  lost,  he  has  done  a  double  service  for  after  gen- 
erations. Among  his  other  works,  his  Life  of  Con- 
st ant  ine  is  the  most  important.  Other  Church  his- 
torians after  Eusebius  continued  his  narrative,  as 
Socrates  and  Sozomen,  both  of  whom  were  laymen. 
After  their  day,  the  Church  was  so  flourishing  that 
authors  multiplied. 

St.  Athanasius  (A.  D.  296-373)  was  the  great 
defender  of  the  faith  at  the  Council  of  Nice, 
although  he  was  only  a  deacon.  In  the  next  year 
he  was  chosen  Bishop  and  Patriarch  of  Alexandria. 
The  Arian  heretics  continually  persecuted  him,  and 
forced  him  to  spend  twenty  y^ars  in  exile.  His 
works  are  chiefly  on  the  Trinity,  and  witness  his 
diligence,  learning,  and  firm  adherence  to  the  creed. 

St.  Chrysostom  (A.  D.  400),  which  means  the 
^^golden  mouth,"  from  his  eloquence,  was  John, 
Bishop  of  Constantinople.  He  preached  against 
the  luxury  and  immorality  of  his  see  city,  which 
called  forth  a  persecution  against  him  by  the  aris- 
tocratic classes.  He  died  in  exile.  His  commen- 
taries on  Holy  Scripture  fill  thirteen  volumes,  and 
his  collected  sermons  many  more.  A  prayer  taken 
from  his  liturgy  is  placed  in  the  Prayer  Book,  at 
the  close  of  Morning  and  Evening  Prayer  and  the 
Litany. 

St.  Augustine  (A.  D.  410),  Bishop  of  Hippo 
in  Africa,  was  the  greatest  writer  of  all  the  fathers. 
He  has  had  more  influence  on  the  Anglican  Com- 
munion, and,  in  fact,  on  the  Western  Church,  than 


338      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 

any  other.  From  him  the  Calvinists  claim  to  ob- 
tain their  system  of  predestination,  or  rather  the 
germ  which  the  Genevan  teacher  developed.  His 
writings  are  very  voluminous,  consisting  of  treat- 
ises against  heresies,  sermons,  commentaries  and  in 
defense  of  Christianity.  His  Confessiom,  which 
record  his  early  life,  conversion  and  Christian  ex- 
perience, has  been  a  devotional  book  in  all  ages, 
and  used  by  all  denominations. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  mention  all  the 
fathers  without  becoming  voluminous.  Sufficient 
has  been  said  to  show  how  they  were  dra^\Ti  from 
the  educated  class,  were  deep  students  of  the  Bible, 
and  devoted  servants  of  the  Church.  We  must 
pass  over  such  names  as  St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem  and 
his  catechetical  lectures,  St.  Basil  the  great  and  the 
Gregories,  St.  Ambrose,  Bishop  of  Milan,  St.  Jer- 
ome the  ascetic,  quoted  in  Article  VI.  in  the  Prayer 
Book,  and  St.  Leo  the  Great  of  Kome.  In  old 
England  there  were  the  Venerable  Bede  (A.  D. 
751 ),  and  St.  Anselm  of  Canterbury  (A.  D.  1100). 
The  Eastern  Church  looks  upon  St.  John  Damas- 
cene (A.  D.  756)  as  the  last  of  the  fathers,  while 
in  the  West  the  list  is  extended  down  to  St.  Ber- 
nard of  the  12th  century.  But  as  these  are  so  far 
removed  from  the  days  of  the  apostles,  and  the 
Church  had  become  largely  secularized,  their  works 
are  not  so  valuable  as  witnesses  to  the  purity  and 
truth  of  the  first  ages. 


THE   CHURCH   FATHERS  AND   WRITERS       339 
The  English  Fathers 

Mention  has  been  made  of  Bede  and  Anselm. 
Since  the  Eeformation,  the  English  Church  has 
abounded  in  eminent  controversialists,  commenta- 
tors, historians,  and  theologians;  some  of  her  re- 
nowned writings  and  writers  are  Pearson  on  the 
Creed,  the  Judicious  Hooker,  Butler's  Analogy, 
Home's  Introduction  to  the  Scriptures,  Paley's 
Evidences,  Taylor's  Holy  Living  and  Dying,  Lid- 
don  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  Keble's  Christian 
Year,  Kawlinson,  Xeale,  Blunt,  and  Pusey.  In 
America,  the  Episcopal  Church  has  by  no  means 
been  behind,  having  produced  men  of  learning  and 
action  in  all  departments  of  life ;  in  literature,  arts, 
science,  and  government,  as  well  as  theology. 
George  Washington,  James  Fenimore  Cooper, 
Washington  Irving,  and  Bishop  White,  illustrate 
this. 

There  are  a  number  of  small  volumes  sold 
cheaply,  called  The  Fathers  for  English  Readers, 


INDEX  TO  SUBJECTS 


A 

Absolution    227 

Advent   250 

Agnosticism   331 

Agnus   Dei   269 

Alban,    St Ill 

Alfred     118 

All   Saints    262 

Alpha  and  Omega 267 

Ambrose    232 

America,    Church   for 136 

Andrew,   St 260 

Angels    261 

Anointing  the   Sick 244 

Annunciation    255 

Antiphonal    Singing   273 

Apocrypha    23 

Apostolic    Succession    ....    184 

Archbishop     191 

Archdeacon    192 

Architecture,   Church   ....    275 

Arianism    89 

Ark,  type  of  the  Church.      74 

Arminianism    317 

Art,    Christian    265 

Ascension    253,  258 

Ash   Wednesday    263 

Athanasius     337 

Athanasian   Creed    291 

Atonement    64 

Augustine  of  Canterbury. 

115,  116 

Augustine  of  Hippo 337 

Avignon,  Popes  at   104 


B 

Baptism 203 

Baptism,   of  infants 207 

Baptism,    modes    of 208 

Bede 118 

Bells    274 

Benedict,    St 101 

Benedictus,  The    170 

Bible,  The   15 

Bible,  The  Story  of 30 

Bible,  The  Theology  of . . .  57 

Biretta    195 

Birth,    spiritual    196 

Bishops   128,  191 

Black    Letter    Days 262 

Bowing   282 

Broad   Church   146 

C 

Calendar    249 

Calvinism    317 

Canon,  The 18,  176 

Canticles    170 

Cassock    194 

Catacombs   87,   266,  310 

Catechism    288 

Celibacy    238 

Chasuble    194 

Chimere    195 

Christ,   His   Character 6 

Christ,    His    Influence 7 

Christ.  The  Resurrection  of  8 

Christ,   The  Theological..  63 

Christian    Evidences 1 


342      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


Christian    Revelation 5 

Christianity   and   Science.      11 
Chronological      Table      of 

the  Bible   55 

Chronological  Table  of  Re- 
ligious  Denominations.  328 
Chronological  Table  of  the 

Church    109 

Chronological  Table  of  the 

Church    of    England..    133 
Chronological  Table  of  the 
Church   in  America . . .   150 

Chrysostom,   St 337 

Church,   The    67 

Church,   Government   of..   182 

Church,  Types  of 74 

Church   Year    274,  292 

Clement,   St 331,  335 

Collects,  The 174 

Colors,  Church    271 

Commandments,    The  .... 

174,  300 

Communion   Service,  The.    171 

Confession    228 

Confirmation    211 

Contrition    228 

Conversion   320 

Cope    195 

Cotta    194 

Councils    90,     91 

Criticism,  the  Higher..  13,  297 

Creed,  The 289 

Cross.  The 269 

Cross,    Sign   of 282 

Crusades    99 

Curate    192 

Cyprian,   St 336 

D 

Deacons    192 

Dead,  The  Condition  of..    309 
Dead.   Prayer  for  the....    309 

Dean    192 

Death,    Natural    199 

Death.    Spiritual    199 


Delaware,  Church  in....  141 
Discipline  of  the  Church.  233 
Divisions  of  the  Bible...      27 

Div.  of  the  Church 76,     80 

Divorce     239 

Decretals    95 

E 

East,  Turning  to 278 

Easter    253,  258 

Eastern  Church    93 

Elizabeth    126 

Ember    Days    193,  263 

Epiphany    252,  256 

Episcopacy    183,  189 

Eschatology    307 

Eucharist   217 

Eusebius    336 

Evangelical  Movement...  131 
Evidences  of  Christianity.       1 

Evolution   12 

Extreme  Unction    244 

Extemporaneous   Prayer. .    158 

F 

Faith,    The    289 

Fasts    262 

Feasts    249,  255 

Fish,   A   Symbol 267 

Flowers    285 

Faldstool   or   Litany   Desk  278 

Food,    Spiritual    197 

Forms  of  Prayer 159 

Free  Will 319 

Fridays    263 

G 

Geology    12 

Gloria  in  Excelsis 177 

God,   Attributes  of 2 

Good   Friday    253,  258 

Gospels,    Reading  of    ....  175 

Grace    319 

Greek   Church,   The 93 

Gregory  the  Great   114 


INDEX  TO  SUBJECTS 


343 


H 

Heaven   314 

Hell     313 

Henry   VIII 124 

Heresies    324 

Hermas    334 

High    Church    146 

Holy  Week 253 


Ignatius    188,  334 

Impediments   to    Marriage  236 

Incarnation,   The    62 

Incense   286 

Indulgences    235 

Infallibility   of  the   Pope.   326 

Infant   Baptism    207 

Investure,   Contest  over..   119 

Invocation  of  Saints 312 

Irenaeus    185,  335 


James,  Bp.  of  Jerusalem.  183 

James  II 128 

Jerome    23,   25,    188,  338 

John,    St.,   the   Baptist...  261 

John,    St.,   the    Evangelist  251 

Judgment,  The   308 

Justification    320 

Justin    Martyr    334 


Kneeling     281 

Korah,    Sin    of 186 

Kyrie    175 


Labarum    88,  267 

...    252 

...    169 

3 

...    196 


Lent    

Lessons,  The  ... 
Life  a   Probation, 
Life,    Spiritual    .  , 
Lights    


Litany    170 

Litany  Desk    278 

Liturgy     217 

Lord's    Supper    216 

Luther    107 

M 

Magna  Charta    122 

Magnificat    168 

Manuscripts   16 

Martyrs    86 

Maryland,   Church   in..,.  139 

Mass    218 

Matrimony     236 

Maundy  Thursday    257 

Methodists    130 

Metropolitans    190 

Ministry,   Threefold   188 

Miracles    7 

Mixed    Chalice    283 

Monastic   Life   100 

Music    272 

N 

Navis   75,  276 

New  England,  Church  in.    138 
New  York,  Church  In.,..    140 

Nice,  Council  of 90 

Norman    Conquest    119 

Nunc  dimittis   170 

O 

Oil,   Prayer    244 

Ordination    193 

Orientation    278 

Orlgen    336 

Oxford    Movement    131 

P 

Palm   Sunday    257 

Papacy    9.5,  103 

Pelaglanism   316 

Pelican    268 


344      THE  CHURCHMAN'S  READY  REFERENCE 


Pennsylvania,   Cburch   in.    141 

Persecutions    85 

Perseverance  of  the  Saints  321 

Peter,    St 261 

Phoenix    268 

Polycarp    334 

Prayer    297 

Prayer  Book   158 

Prayers    for    the    Dead...    309 

Prayers,  Forms  of 159 

Predestination    318 

Priesthood    188,  192 

Prophecies    9 

Protestantism     82,  327 

Psalter    169 

Purification    Day    257 

Purgatory    311 

Puritans    127,  138 

R 

Rector    192 

Reformation    103 

Reformation     in     England 

125,  163 

Regeneration    203,  320 

Religious    Faculty    1 

Repentance    227 

Resurrection    308 

Resurrection    of    Christ. 8,  53 

Revelation    4 

Revolution  in  America .  .  .  142 

Ritualism   152 

Rochet    195 

Rogation   Days    253 

Roman   Catholics    326 

Roman  Patriarch   97 

Rood  Screen   153,  276 


Sacraments,    The    200 

Sacramental  Presence    .  .  .   221 

Sacrifice,  The  Holy 218 

Sacrificial   Worship   ..151,  153 
Saint  Days    2.59 


Saints,   Invocation  of 312 

Sanctiflcation    320 

Saxon   Church    113,  118 

Schism    323 

Science  and  Christianity.      11 

Science,   Christian    331 

Seabury,   Bishop    144,  189 

Seasons,   The  Church    .  .  .   250 

Sick,  Anointing  of 244 

Sign  of  the  Cross   282 

Sin    227 

Spiritualism     330 

Spiritual  Life 196 

Sponsors    210 

Standing    281 

Stole,  The   194 

Succession,   The  Apostolic  189 

Sunday   254 

Surplice,   The    194 

Symbolism    266 

T 

Te  Deum   170 

Tertullian    185,  835 

Theology    57 

Thomas   a    Becket 120 

Thomas,   St 261 

Tradition    59 

Trent,    Council    of 92 

Triangle    268 

Trinity    61,  254 


U 


Unity   of   the   Church 80 

Unity   and   Episcopacy...  187 

V 

Vatican  Council   92 

Versions    of    the    Bible...  24 

Vestments    193 

Vicar    192 

Virgin  Mary    258 

Virginia,    Church    In 138 


INDEX  TO  SUBJECTS  345 

W  Wilfrid    117 

Wesley 129       Worship   151 

White    Bishop 144,  189  y, 

Whitsuntide   253 

Wickllffe     124       Year,  The  Church 247 


This    book    is   due  4lw«  —  "»^''-     ^ 


Iffi 


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PHOTOCOPY  -^ 


